A Christmas Candlelight Drama

I’m very excited to share this fun Christmas tradition with you. It comes all the way from a lovely family, the Tarletons, serving the Lord in Texas. Sarah Tarleton and I met in college at Union University and though we haven’t seen each other in years, we’ve been able to stay connected through social media.

Adam and Sarah Tarleton have four children under the age of six and have made the decision not to put unnecessary pressure on themselves to start fantastically complicated Christmas traditions. Rather, they keep it simple and keep the focus on Christ.

This Christmas Drama tradition began when Sarah was a teenager. It’s a way of visually presenting the Christmas story with candles and a short script that alternates between Scripture and carols. Every year on Christmas Eve, no matter who is in their house visiting, their family gathers around their dining room table.

They arrange candles to represent Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the angels, shepherds, and wise men, as well as a small unlit candle. One person narrates and one person leads them in song and they read/sing their way through the script. It ends with blowing out each candle except the candle that represents Christ, so the room is near dark, and then the narrator starts to read about how only Christ is still alive today and how He is the light of world. Everyone begins lighting their individual candles until the whole room is lit.

It’s a powerful presentation of the Gospel and a tangible way for her small kids to understand the Christmas story and get their hearts right before sending the kids to bed as the adults scurry to finish prepping for Christmas morning.

Below is a copy of the Script for you to use with your family this year. If you’d like to contact Sarah or read more from her, check out her blog: glowliveaslight.com.

 

A Christmas Candlelight Drama

(everyone sings a cappella)

 O Come, All Ye Faithful

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant
Come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem
Come and behold Him, born the king of angels
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord

 Narrator 1:  And it came to pass in those days, that a proclamation was made by Caesar Augustus that the entire inhabited world should be registered.  This was the first census undertaken while Cyrenius was governor of Syria; and everyone went to the town of their birth to be registered.

Joseph (light Joseph candle) went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to the city of David, Bethlehem, in Judea, because he was a direct descendant of David, to be registered with his future wife Mary (light Mary candle) who was pregnant.

O Little Town of Bethlehem

 O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

 Narrator 2:  And while they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to be delivered.  She gave birth to her first child, a Son (light Jesus candle).  There was no place for them inside the inn, so she laid Him in a manger.

Away in a Manger

 Away in a manger, no crib for His bed
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay

Narrator 3:  There were some shepherds living in the same part of the country, keeping guard throughout the night over their flocks in the open fields (light shepherd candles).

The First Noel

 The first Noel, the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields where they lay
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel

 Narrator 4:  Suddenly, an angel of the Lord stood before them, the splendor of the Lord blazed around them, and they were terror stricken.  But the angel (light tallest angel) said to them, “Do not be afraid! Listen, I bring you glorious news of great joy that is for all the people.  This very day, in the city of David, a Savior has been born for you.  He is Christ the Lord.  Let this prove it to you.  You will find a baby, wrapped up and lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a vast host of the armies of heaven (light all angel candles). They were praising God, saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace among those with whom He is pleased!”

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With angelic host proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem

 Narrator 5:  The shepherds said to one another, “Now, let us go straight to Bethlehem and see this thing which the Lord has made known to us.”

So they went as fast as they could and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in the manger.  And when they had seen this sight, they told everyone what had been said to them about the little Child.

Go, Tell It on the Mountain

 While shepherds kept their watching
O’er silent flocks by night
Behold throughout the heavens
There shone a holy light
Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

 Narrator 6:  Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, (light wise men candles) “Where is He that is born King of the Jews?”

And now the star, which they had seen in the east, went in front of them until at last it shone immediately above the place where the little Child lay.

The sight of the star filled them with indescribable joy.  So they went into the house and found the little Child with His mother, Mary.  And they fell on their knees and worshiped Him.  Then they opened up their treasures and presented Him with gifts – gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

What Child is This

What Child is this, who laid to rest
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring Him laud
The Babe, the Son of Mary

 Narrator 7:  Then, since they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, the wise men went back to their own country by a different route.  (Extinguish wise men candles.)

And the shepherds went back to work, glorifying and praising God for everything they had seen and heard.  (Extinguish shepherd candles.)

And the angels returned to heaven.  (Extinguish angel candles.)

            And many years later, Mary and Joseph, being flesh and bone, came to the end of their earthly lives. (Extinguish Mary and Joseph candles.)

But the Light that began in Bethlehem was life.  And this life was the Light of all humanity.  The Light still shines in the darkness and the darkness has never put it out. (Light first person’s candle from the Jesus candle, then begin passing the light.)

And it all began on a silent, holy night, long ago….

Silent Night

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
‘Round yon virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

 (Everyone’s candle should now be lit.)

 Joy to the World

Joy to the world, the Lord has come
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart, prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and heaven and nature sing!