A Holiday Slumber Party

On a snowy night in December, five of her friends have arrived for the sleep-over, and the fun begins. But Sydney has already messed up and forgot to buy soft drinks. Her mother, Debra heads to the store to get the drinks and gets stuck in a snow drift and can’t get back. Meanwhile, Sydney’s three younger brothers join the fun by playing pranks on the girls. Eventually, the discussion gets serious and Julia begins to share the real meaning of Christmas while Kaylee makes sarcastic and mocking remarks. Kaylee describes to the others what a rough life she’s had and it has left her bitter about life and God. Debra makes it back and all is well and the story is wrapped up with Sydney asking her mom for forgiveness for her attitude and Kaylee finds help, counseling and a new life in Christ. Christmas is talked about, but not a main focus of the story.

11 actors (6 teenage girls, 4 teenage boys, and one female adult) The parts of Debra, Sydney and Kaylee are large. About 40-45 mins. One set.

CAST OF CHARACTERS:

SYDNEY: Speaks 1293 words. A Christian girl who has been acting rebellious and not getting along with her parents.

DEBRA: Speaks 1208 words. Sydney’s mom. She allows the slumber party hoping to instill some responsibility in her.

KAYLEE: Speaks 1117 words. A somewhat troubled teen who is unsaved and has had a rough home life.

JULIA: Speaks 795 words. A strong Christian with boldness for the Lord and a knowledge of scripture, though she seems quiet at first.

LAUREN: 548 words. Unsaved friend who wants to know more.

ADAM: 503 words. Sydney’s brother. Likes being the man of the house when Dad’s gone.

TAYLOR: 455 words. A Christian girl with a history of divorce in her family, but also recovery in the Lord.

MORGAN: 430 words. Sydney’s best friend. A bit witty.

NOAH: 171 words. A younger brother.

CALEB: 83 words. The youngest brother.

ETHAN: 43 words. The pizza delivery boy.

This play has one set. The living room or family room of a Christian family. Set up the stage to look like a home that is lived in, with a couch and chairs and some tables with photos around, etc.

Excerpt:

MORGAN
Oh…the pizza!
LAUREN
I’m not really hungry anymore.
They all kind of concur.
SYDNEY
So, does anybody want any?
KAYLEE
Pizza is good cold…let’s forget it for now. We’ll do something else. Syd, you don’t have any more dumb questions to ask us, do you?
SYDNEY
Nope. That’s done.
TAYLOR
I have a question! What does everybody want for Christmas?
KAYLEE
Cash! It really is the best gift. Then you can spend it however you want. Otherwise, you get something you’ll never use or don’t want.
TAYLOR
What if you told people what you wanted?
KAYLEE
Where’s the fun in that?
TAYLOR
Well, then you have something to open. I like to open presents and wonder what’s inside.
KAYLEE
Yeah, that can be fun… but then it never is! You find the stupid thing inside the present and then you have to act all happy and say you like it when you DON’T!
TAYLOR
But, if it’s what you asked for…
MORGAN
Kaylee’s right. If you just get what you asked for, then there’s no surprise.
TAYLOR
Well, I ask for a lot of things, and the surprise is finding out which thing they got me.
LAUREN
But there’s always something else that you wanted more than the thing they got you. I’m leaning with Kaylee on this one.
KAYLEE
Don’t lean too close!
JULIA
Whatever happened to “it’s the thought that counts.”
KAYLEE
If it’s the thought that counts…think money.
MORGAN
Don’t you think that Christmas has become too commercial?
KAYLEE
Yeah…let’s just forget the whole thing!
MORGAN
I didn’t say that.
KAYLEE
I did. What’s the point? It’s just an excuse to spend lots of money and get together with people you don’t like that much.
JULIA
Are you talking about your relatives?
KAYLEE
Whatever. Christmas is always messed up. You’ve got your mom’s family and then your dad’s family and you’d just rather go and be with your friends. But you can’t do that because they’re all with their families. And everyone brings gifts, which is dumb because they have no idea what you might actually like….and if you’re poor, you can’t get people something really cool.
TAYLOR
The biggest disadvantage to being poor is that it’s so expensive!
SYDNEY
Hey…all this talk about gifts reminds me…did you guys bring a gift? Let’s open them now.
They all pull gifts out of their bags and put them together.
SYDNEY
Everyone grab one that’s not their own and open it.
They all grab a gift.
MORGAN
Wait. I brought this…someone trade with me.
She trades with someone. They start opening gifts and reacting.
TAYLOR
Oh…it’s perfume… cool! Isn’t this stuff expensive?
MORGAN
What’s this? A credit card? Oh, no, it’s a gift card. That’s neat. Then I can buy what I want.
SYDNEY
(Opening hers)
A chocolate Santa?
LAUREN
(Apologizing)
I thought we were supposed to do silly gifts.
JULIA
What’s yours Lauren?
LAUREN
A Christmas ornament. It’s really pretty.
JULIA
I got slippers. I can really use these!
KAYLEE
(Opening hers)
What in the world? Is it like a farm or something?
JULIA
Oh, that’s from me. It’s a nativity set.
TAYLOR
That’s cool.
KAYLEE
You want it?
JULIA
You don’t like it?
KAYLEE
What’s it for? Do little kids play with this…like action figures?
JULIA
Well, I guess some might. But it’s just to put up at Christmas time to look at and make you think about the true meaning of Christmas. It represents what Christmas is all about. You have all the characters who came to the manger when Jesus was born.
KAYLEE
You mean that whole religious thing? I don’t go for that. Sorry, but that’s even more dreadful than the other stuff. The only thing worse than spending Christmas with my family would be if they drug me off to church to sing Christmas songs and hear a boring sermon.
JULIA
You’re missing the point, Kaylee.
KAYLEE
There is no point. Are you gonna tell me that the most meaningful part of Christmas to you is celebrating the birth of Baby Jesus?
JULIA
Yes, it is. Because Jesus came to be my Savior. Because of Him, I have forgiveness for my sins and I have an eternal home in Heaven.
KAYLEE
Give me a break. It’s all a bunch of hooey.
MORGAN
Hooey?
KAYLEE
I’d have said something else, but we’re in mixed company. I didn’t want to upset Julia. She seems like the sensitive type.
JULIA
I wouldn’t say I’m sensitive.
TAYLOR
There’s nothing wrong with that, anyway. You know, Kaylee, we’ve never talked about this….what exactly do you believe anyway?
KAYLEE
About what?
TAYLOR
About God and the Bible and eternity….stuff like that.
KAYLEE
Let’s see. God?…I don’t know. Not sure He exists. The Bible? Just a book written a long, long time ago…by a bunch of men…and very outdated. Eternity? I’m all for eternity in Heaven but totally against eternity in hell. So, what do you think? Am I totally a heathen?
TAYLOR
It’s no skin off my nose.
JULIA
So, what are you, an atheist?
MORGAN
Being an atheist isn’t too bad until someone dies.
KAYLEE
I don’t know what I am. Why do I have to be something?
JULIA
I think that people who don’t believe in God are really sad.
KAYLEE
I’m sad that you think that way. Answer me this, Julia. Tell me about a God who allows a little girl to be raised by a couple of losers. A dad who spent most of his time drunk or stoned and used to beat his wife and make his little girl fear for her life and wonder when she would be next. And a mom who left you with a baby sitter every night of the week while she tried to find a new man. You try walking in my shoes for even one day and then you might just question your God of the perfect life and perfect family.
JULIA
I don’t have a perfect life.
KAYLEE
Julia…compared to mine… yours is like cake and ice cream every day!
TAYLOR
Wow, Kaylee…I didn’t know all that about you. I’m so sorry.
KAYLEE
I don’t need your pity.
TAYLOR
It’s not pity.
KAYLEE
Sure it is. Hey…I get it. I know why you guys buy into all that stuff. If I was raised in one of your perfect families, I would probably believe in that wonderful God of yours, too.
SYDNEY
I think you have the wrong idea about our perfect families. Like, me for instance. My mom and I don’t get along at all. She drives me nuts all the time and we’re always fighting. She just doesn’t understand me and doesn’t even try to.
KAYLEE
(With great sarcasm)
Oh, you’re right! That sounds like hell on earth! Tell me something…does your mom make you breakfast every morning and dinner every night?
SYDNEY
Yeah.
KAYLEE
Does she pick you up at school after sports, and does she come to your games?
SYDNEY
Usually.
KAYLEE
And is she still married to your father, and does she stay home at night with her husband and family?
Syd nods.
KAYLEE
I rest my case.
JULIA
I didn’t know that was what it was like for you, Kaylee.
KAYLEE
Well, I don’t advertise it. And I didn’t say that so that you guys would feel sorry for me. I said it so that you would know where I stand on this whole ‘God and Jesus and the supposed real meaning of Christmas’ thing.
JULIA
You don’t believe that Jesus existed?
KAYLEE
No, it’s not that. I guess he really did.
JULIA
And that he was born in Bethlehem and died on a cross?
KAYLEE
No, that stuff is true, too.
LAUREN
I’m kind of with Kaylee on this one. I don’t get the whole Jesus thing at Christmas. You know talking about Jesus has become really controversial.
JULIA
I just want you guys to know that God loves you, and He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ to earth to live a sinless life and then die on the cross. He did that to bring us salvation. He took our sins in His body on the cross, and in that one loving act, He took our place. Then He rose after three days and went back to heaven to prepare a place for all of us who follow Him.
KAYLEE
Oh, brother!