Two children approach Bharat Ma (Mother India): A skit-story

for Christian Indians

Published March 2, 2007 Christianity , Culture , Drama , Expressions , Hindu Nationalism , Identity , India , Indian
Christianity , Prayer , Quick Thoughts , Religion ,Skit , Story , Theology 9 Comments

Once upon a time Bharat Ma (Mother India) was sleeping on a bed.

The eldest son came to meet her, and saw her sleeping. So he sat at her head. Later, her second

son came, and seeing her sleeping, he sat at her feet.

When Bharat Ma awoke, she saw the second son first.

“Beta, what do you want?” she asked the second.

The eldest son was upset.

“Ma!” he cried, “I came first. I should be given the right to talk first to you.”

Bharat Ma gently turned to the eldest.

“What do you want, my child?”

“I’ve come to ask for your something,” said the eldest.

“Even I’ve come to ask for something,” said the second.

“Whatever this man has to ask you, don’t give it to him, Ma! Only the first-born should have the

right to you. I ask that you remove him from your presence.” said the elder angrily, pointing to

the second.

“Ma, you have always treated me as your child. You have never shown favouritism. Please don’t

send me away from you. He’s forcing me to go.” said the second, pointing to the elder.

Bharat Ma lifted both of her sons to each lap.

“Look my dear children. You know that I cannot take away any of your right of being my children.

You were always my children, you will always be my children.” she said both, but especially to the

younger. And to the eldest she said, “Son, as the elder son I offer you a boon. Anything you want

from me, you can have. Only, you can’t take away the right of the younger of being my child.”

“Then I want everything,” the eldest quickly said, delighted.

“Everything?” asked Bharat Ma.

“Yes everything,” said the eldest. “I want the right over your land and waters, I want your power

and your identity, I want your prestige and your wealth, I want your culture and your people. I

want everything.”

“But what about me?” asked the younger, concerned.

“Once I get everything,” laughed the eldest, “you will get nothing. And then you either work for

me or you can leave.”

“But I don’t want to leave, Ma, I don’t want to leave you.” cried the younger brother, visibly

distraught.

“Don’t worry, my child. I give you a boon too.” said Ma gently.

“I want some land…”

“Sorry, it’s all mine.” said the eldest, delighted.

“I want your identity…”

“That’s mine to fashion.”

“I want to take some of your culture and…”

“Culture is mine as well…”

“Ma, it’s not fair. He’s taken everything.” complained the younger, in tears.

“Not everything my child. Because you are my child, there is already a part of me in you. No one,

not even I, can take that away from you.”

“What does that matter? I have the power and the authority to use Ma’s identity for whatever I

want. I can discount her image in you by discounting anything associated with you.”

“Ma, I know I am your child. But I am scared. I am scared of my brother,” said the younger

shaking. “What use is your image? I can’t do anything with it?”

“You can, my son, you can. You can serve me.”

“I have everything,” said the eldest to Ma. “You can’t give him anything!”

“I am allowing your brother to serve me,” she said to the elder. “His service is not my right to

take, but his to give.”

“But if I serve you, Ma, won’t my elder brother exploit my service? I would end up serving him.”

said the younger, a little scared.

“When you serve me, my child, you will serve me. What your brother does after that, may not be

in your control. You do, what you think is best for me, because I am in you and you are in me.”

“Then I agree, Ma. I want to serve you. And that’s what I want.”

“Fool! I’ve got everything from Mother.” laughed the eldest.

“And I have Mother,” said the younger, finally understanding.

Everything I Need to Know About Christmas

By Debra Wehr

Summary

A neighbour brings a book which explains everything the family needs to know
about Christmas.

Characters

Mom
Dad
Child
Teenager
Grandparent
Neighbor

Script

(Scene: The Family Living Room. It is the beginning of the Christmas season and
the family has just put up the tree. They are unpacking the Nativity scene.
Ornaments and lights lie on the floor. Dad and teenager are working on getting the
lights ready to put up outside. (stage left.))
DAD: How are you coming with those lights? Are they all working and ready to
put outside?

TEENAGER: No. I can't seem to find the one that's burnt out. Maybe we should
just get some new ones.

DAD: Keep looking. We can't afford to get new lights every time one littlebulb
goes out.

(Mom, Grandparent, and child are setting up the nativity scene - stage right.)

MOM: Here, let's put the baby Jesus between Mary and Joseph so they can look at
how sweet he is. (handing the figure to the child)

CHILD: (He is putting more figures on the table.) Mom, this set looks just like the
one they have at the Shopping Mall.

GRANDPARENT: Speaking of shopping malls, this shopping thing is really hard.

I don't know what to get anybody. ( she helps arrange the scene as she talks)

(The doorbell rings. A neighbor arrives with a gift plainly labeled: "OPEN
BEFORE CHRISTMAS." Mom answers the door.)

MOM: Hello, neighbor. Come on in.

NEIGHBOR: Hello there, everyone. (She steps into the house)

MOM: (noticing the wrapped gift in her hand) What do you have there? Hey, it's a
little early for gifts yet. We're just getting the decorations up.

NEIGHBOR: This is a Christmas gift that you really need to open at the start of the
Christmas season. So go ahead and open it now. (Neighbor walks over and hands
the gift to Mom.)

MOM: Thank you very much.

CHILD: She said we should open it now. Can I open it? Can I?

MOM: O.K. (handing gift to child. Child opens gift as everyone looks on)

GRANDPARENT: Let's see what it is. ( child holds up a large book.)

DAD: "Everything I Need to Know About Christmas." Now I see why we needed
to open it right now. It will help us organize ourselves during this busy time of
year. I bet there's a schedule for saving, shopping, putting up lights, Christmas
programs and rehearsals. (sighs) That would sure come in real handy.
MOM: Probably there are some new decorating ideas. Those mini-marshmallows
we used as fake snow made such a mess last year. They got smeared all over the
windows, it took hours to scrape them off.

TEENAGER: If it tells me I should start saving for Christmas by taking some

Money from each allowance starting in September. . . they may as well forget it.
It's too late for that.

GRANDPARENT: I do hope that it has some shopping tips. I just don't know what
to get teenagers. My friend told me that teenagers like CDs. But last year Ryan
didn't seem pleased at all with the "Perry Como" CD, I got him.

NEIGHBOR: You're going to have to read it to find out.

DAD: Let's quit guessing and see what it says. (Dad walks over and takes the book
and reads the title again.) Everything I Need to Know About Christmas: (turns the
page) - I Learned From ... Jesus?

TEENAGER: That's silly. How can Jesus have known what kind of presents to buy
for people today, or how to find the one bulb in the string that is burnt out and
keeps the rest of them from lighting up. That's something I need to know.

MOM: I don't think that's what this book is all about.

GRANDPARENT: I don't think that's what Christmas is all about, either.

CHILD: What do you mean?

NEIGHBOR: Just read it. You'll see what it means.

DAD: It Says: (turns page &continues reading)

"These are the important facts of the real Christmas.
Every one of them tells us more about Jesus.
You need to know that Jesus was God's only begotten son.
He came to earth to save sinners, didn't stop till he was done"

TEENAGER: Let me read some, Dad. (He stands next to Dad and reads)
"God loves us very much.
But sin, He cannot stand
Jesus came to pay sin's price.
He came
At God's command"

MOM: Hey, this really is why we celebrate Christmas(Mom turns page and reads)
"Jesus taught us what to do
How to act the whole year through
Visit the lonely, be kind to the poor,
Help the sick to find a cure.
Obey the Lord as you are told
And you will wear a crown of gold"

NEIGHBOR: This is my favorite part (excitedly quoting from the book)

"Make your life a prayer,
Show others that you care.
Have peace and joy all your days
Give glory & thanks to God always"

GRANDPARENT: I like that. (Takes over reading)

Jesus was gentle and good.
Living and Loving just as we should.

DAD: (taking the book and standing next to mom)

Jesus showed me by his examples,
How he laughed, and why he cried.
He showed me that he loved me,
and paid for my sins when He died.

MOM: They called Jesus: "Emmanuel;

Which means: God with us. (pause) That's odd.
For it's only because He died for us.
That we can now be : (pause) "Us with God"

NEIGHBOR: See, this book helps give you the REAL meaning of Christmas

CHILD: Oh. Now I see what you mean.

NEIGHBOR: (As she leaves ) Merry Christmas.

EVERYONE: Merry Christmas!

 The Meal Must Go On !-A Lesson in Cooperation
This skit takes place on Thanksgiving at the home of Grandma and Grandpa. There
is a little arguing going on in the refrigerator, find out what happens....

Scene 1

(Thanksgiving morning at Grandma's and Grandpa's house. Preparations for the

feast have gone on for days. Guests will be arriving soon.)
(Scene opens inside fridge)

Narrator- It's early Thanksgiving morning. Grandma Josephine and Grandpa Joe
are still asleep, and in the refrigerator the food is chatting.

Food- Hubbubing

Cranberry Sauce- I can't wait for dinner!

Turkey- But, I'm the traditional main dish! So I must be the best, in fact, I am the
best!

Mashed Potatoes- Thanksgiving just wouldn't be the same without me! Mashed
potatoes are always everyone's favorite!

Stuffing- Turkey, you think your so important! But you're nothing without me, the
tasty stuffing!

Turkey- Tasty stuffing?! Even the dog, Sparky, doesn't like you!

Pumpkin Pie- You all think you're so important! They always save the best and
the sweetest for last!

Cranberry Sauce-You're not the only one who can taste sweet, you know.

Mashed Potatoes-You guys may be sweet, but I'm the favorite!

Stuffing- Quiet everyone! Someone's coming!!

Scene 2

(Grandma opens the fridge door)

Grandma- Joe? Must be getting old. I could of sworn I heard some rustling in
here!
Grandpa- You must be getting' old! Better start cookin'! The guests will be
arriving soon.

Grandma- What do you mean, me?! Don't you mean, we!

Scene 3

Narrator- Later that day, the guests are arriving.

Grandpa- Josephine, I heard the doorbell!

Grandma- Go get it then! Don't leave 'em out in the cold!

(Guests enter open door)

All- Happy Thanksgiving!

Scene 4

Mom- Oh, it smells wonderful in here!

Dad- I'm starving!

(Sparky enters)

Sparky- Woof! Woof!

Grandpa- Even Sparky came. Look!

Grandma- Come in and sit down, dinner's almost ready.

Megan- Do you need any help in the kitchen, Grandma?

Rachel- I'll help, too!!!

Taylor- Are there any good football games on today?

Dad- We'll watch the games after dinner.

(Girls bring food to the table)

Scene 5

Narrator- Thanksgiving dinner is over, and it's time to compliment the cooking.

Taylor- That meal was great!

Sparky- Woof! Woof!

Rachel- Sparky thinks so too!

Grandma-Wasn't the turkey delicious!?

Grandpa- It's especially good with mashed potatoes!

Mom- The stuffing really goes well with the turkey!

Megan-The Cranberry Sauce ties it all together.

Dad-It just isn't Thanksgiving with out the pumpkin pie.

Scene 6

Narrator-The family went home and grandma and grandpa put the leftovers in the
fridge.

Turkey-I guess I have to admit the dinner was pretty good because of all of us.

Stuffing- We do go together pretty well.

Mashed Potatoes- I got a little cranberry sauce mixed into me and you did taste
pretty good.

Cranberry Sauce- Why, Thank you! You didn't taste too bad yourself.

Pumpkin Pie- Well, it goes to show you, that if you cooperate you can really put
something great together.

Stage Tips

1. Open out to the audience. For example, when two people have a real
conversation, they face each other. However, on stage, you turn your body
to the audience.
2. Try to keep your hair out of your eyes unless the part requires it.
3. When you make gestures, try to keep your arms and legs farthest from the
audience or upstage.
4. Always turn so you face the audience during a turn.
5. Keep the energy in the imaginary happenings occurring on stage.
6. If two or more cast members walk across the stage, the person closest to the
audience should follow the one that is furthest from the audience.
7. See the stage areas below: