The Christmas spirit

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Part of The Young Citizen: The Magazine for Young People

Title: The Christmas spirit
Year: 1940
Rights
Fulltext: 456 THE YOUNG CITIZEN December, 1940 THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT A Christmas Play/et ADAPTED BY_ PANCITA FWRES CHARACTERS AND COSTUMES JUAN, twelve years old PEDRO, age five or six CRISTETA, age ten ANA, nearly eight years old CHRISTMAS SINGERS THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT The children wear everyday clothes. The singers wear choir vestments of black gowns and "white surplices. The Christmas Spirit is neatly dressed and is always smiling. SETTING The children are in the sala of their home wrapping Christmas presents. It is not a grand room, and the furniture has been used a long time. There is a litter of colored paper, ribbon, and little cards for labeling gifts. A Christmas tree stands in an important place in the room. THE PLAY JUAN (carefully tying a bow on the top of a large package) : Blue paper and a yellow ribbon! I like that best of all for tying Christmas presents. It, makes me think of stars and the sky. PEDRO: I want bl~e paper for one of my packages, too; Juan. Help me tie a · package with blue paper and a yellow ribbon. CRISTETA: Wait a minute, brother Pedro. Sister will he! p you tie your packages. Come here and let me see what· you have. ( Cristeta drops her work and begins to help her small brother.) ANA: See, Teta ! I'm wraj>pipg ·mine in green. Green j>aper for Christmas trees! And white ribbon for the Christmas Spirit which our teacher told us about. PEDRO: i want to l!l'rap Grand.mother's present in red. I like red best of all. Red with a silver bow! CRISTETA: All right, brother.· One in blue, one in red, and one. in yellow! JUAN: Hurry, Ana. We are alt" finished but you. Here! Write your cards and then we're through. CRISTETA: Now we will pile them under the tree so that they will be all ready when Daddy and Mother and Grandmother come home. ANA: This is the most beautiful tree we ever had in all our lives. CRISTETA: We've never had one so lovely as this! PEDRO (clapping his hands and run• . ning around the room) : Oh, the Christ-' mas tree! The Christmas tree! . JUAN (ari·anging the wrapped presenis about the bottom of the tree): They look pretty nice! Don't they? CRISTETA (clapping her hands in joy): Oh, beautiful! JUAN: I can just see Daddy's eyes shine when he opens his presents .. CRISTETA: And Mother's, too! ANA: I made the picture frame for· Mother all myself. PEDRO: My package for Mother has . a beautiful gold ring in it. JUAN: A gold ring! Why, that's-CRISTETA (stopping him with a sisterly look of warning): Of course, brother. Of course you have a '.gold ring for Mother. A gold ring is the most beautiful present in all the world for a lady. ANA: Sometime I'm going to buy December, 1940 THE YOUNG CITIZEN 457 Mother a beautiful silk dress for Christmas. And I'll buy a new dress for Grandmother, too. JUAN: And for Dad a big automobile. PEDRO: And a fire engine! (Older children bunt into lnughtei·.) ANA: Pedro! What would Father want with a fire engine? PEDRO: WellCRISTETA (with another sisterly look of warning) : Daddy would just love a fire engine, · Pedro. But he'll like the little book you made for him just as well. JUAN: Of ·course! PEDRO (skipping about the r o o m.) : I made it all myself. Really and truly! JUAN: They're coming nearer every minute. They'll soon be here. ANA: Oh, I love the Christmas singing almost the best of all the Christmas things! PEDRO: I'm going to be a Christmas singer, too, when I'm big. (The singers can be heard very plainly,, singing outside. The singing continues fo1· a few moments. The children ·listen quietly until it ceases.) CRISTETA: Go and invite them to come in, Juan. That's the way Mother does. I'll get some cakes. (Cristeta leavu the room. Juan go es to the door.) J U A N: Won't vou all com~ in? Your singing was beautiful. J U AN: (jumping to his feet) : We almost forgot the Christmas Wherever tht're is Christmas joy, there is the Clrristmas Spirit. (The Chorus of Christmas Singers enter. With them is a tall, neatly ·dressed, smiling youth. His manner is extraordinarily gay and j-0yous, and his face fairly shines with smiles. He keeps constantly ·in the background, and seems to be unnoticed by all.) candle. The Christmas singers will be here before we know it. If there is no light in the window they will pass us by. CRISTETA (running to help): Oh, we must not forget the Christmas candle. (The children place a large lighted candle in the window. As they do this, singing is heard in the di.rtance, growing louder as they listen. They are singing a Christmas song.) ANA: We were just in time. JUAN (to the Singers): Won't you sing us a Christmas song? ONE OF THE SINGERS: "Yes, indeed. (The Chorus of Christmas Singers form a group and they sing "When Good Old Kris Comes 'Round," page 460 of this is458 THE YOUNG CITIZEN December, 1940 sue of THE YOUNG CITIZEN. The chi/- pulling him gently into the center of the dren listen carefully.) room): Merry Christmas! Merry ChristJUAN (after the song is finished) : mas! This is Christmas eve, and tomorThank you very much. That is a real row is Christmas morning. Did you jolly Christmas song. It makes me think know that? the Christmas Spirit is right here with JUAN (half laughing): Would you us. (The young man-the Christmas mind telling us where you came· from, Spirit-smiles and then chuckles to him- please, sir? self.) Now, won't you all sit down and CRISTETA: We are very glad you are eat some cakes. Do you like cakes? I here, sir, but we really would like very like them best of all the Christqias treats. much to know how you came. ONE OF THE SINGERS: Indeed we do THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS: I came like cakes. Thank you very much. here with the Christmas singers. I was ( Cristeta passes a plate of.cakes to the loed here 'by your Christmas candlelight. singers, who stand or sit around the room And your' Christmas packages and Christwhile eating.) mas tree caused me to want to stay here. ANOTHER SINGER: My! these cakes Merry·Christmas! a.re good! JUAN: Thank you very much. CRISTETA: And so was your song! A~A: We are so happy. about our JUAN: I do wish Mother and Father Christmas presents for Mother and and Grandmother were here to hear you Grandmother and Daddy! sing. They have gone down to the vii- • THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS: That is !age to do some last minute Christmas just why I am here. shopping. · PEDRO: I have a gold ring for MothANOTHER SINGER: We are sorry they er. are not here. We would lo\lle to sing for . CRISTETA: It isn't really and truly them. (Everybody smiles and looks gold, sir, but Bedro is just as happy as happy, especially the Christmas Spirit.) though it were. And now we must be on our way. We ANA: We are glad you are here. have to go many places to sing. Please stay with us. (The Christmas Singers all go out, but PEDRO (running to the young man with the Spirit of Christmas remains.) a cake in his hand): Here is the· nicest SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS: Good evoening, cake on the plate. It is for you!. children. Good evening, and Merry THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS: How nice· Christmas to you al!"! it is to be here I But, of course, I knew (The children start.in astonishment as what I would find. It has never failed. they see, for the first time, ·the young JUAN: What do you mean? I don't man-the Spirit of Christmas-in their understand. midst.) THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS: Why, it's JUAN: Why-er-why-who are you? like this, my young friends. Every ChristCRJSTETA: Good evening, sir. Woe- mas Eve I go out into the night to listen ANA: We didn't see you until this for the call of Christmas joy. I listen very minute. and I follow. Into places high and places PEDRO (running to the young man and (Please turn to page 472.) THE YOUNG CITIZEN December~ 1940 CHRISTMAS SPIRIT THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST- THE WIFE OF RIZAL (Continued from page 458) MAS: I mean just this. (Continued from page 469) lowly I go. Into the midst Wher~v~r there. is love, 5. Of what nationality of riches and poverty. And there ~s JOY·. And ~herever was Miss Tauter? the thing I find is always there is Chnstmas Joy, there 6. Why did Rizal not the same. It fills my heart is the. Christmas Spi~it. marry Miss Tauter iµ Dawith happiness. That ~s why I am w.1th pitan? CRISTETA: Surely you you children. Merry Chnst- 7. What official order did not find anything so mas! . did Rizal receive? very wonderfui here sir. ALL: Merry Christmas! 8. Tell of his departure ANA: We wer~ only Merry Christmas! And from Manila. wrapping Christmas pres- may the Ch.ristn:ias S~irit 9. What accusation was ents What could you find always remam with us· made in Spain against Riher~ to make you happy? CURTAIN zal? CRISTETA: We were so IO. Where was he sent? happy about our presents QUESTIONS Why? for Mother and Grand- 1. What do you think is 11. Where· was Rizal immother and Daddy, that we the meaning of this playlet? prisoned? couldn't think of anything 2· Is there a lesson to be 12. Can his prison cell learned from ·it? What is else. still be seen? (Yes) THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST- the lesson? l 3. What request by MAS: And what are· these 3· Is the opening of this Miss Tauter was refused? Chrl .stmas presents which playlet a happy scene? 14 Wh .. d R" 1 . gl.ve you so much J·oy? 4. Could such a scene be . o v1s1te iza In his prison cell on Decem}UAN: A hold·er for found almost anywhere in ber 27, 1896? Dad's neckties. I made it the Philippines? 15. What agreement did at school. 5· Did these "children.be- Rizal and Miss Tauter ANA: And I made a lit- long to a happy family? then make? d . h" f Why do you thmk so? tie re pmcus 10n or 6. Were they rich? 16. When were they marMother. ried? How long before RiPEDRO: And a gold ring 7· Were th~ two brothers zal's execution? for Mother! :~~h t~~h:~ sisters loyal to 17. What did Rizal tell CRISTETA: The Y are 8. At what point in the about the alcohol lamp at wonderful presents, aren't story did the Christmas his last meeting with Miss they? Spirit enter. Tau fer? 'fHE SPIRIT OF CHRIST- 9. Why did the Christ- 18. Did Mrs. Rizal witMAS: Of course they are. mas Spirit not leave with ness the execution of her And it all goes to prove the singers? husband? what I say. I never knew 10. Were the children's 19. How did Rizal act at it to fail. Automobiles or presents costly? his execution? pincushions, it is always the 11. What makes a Christ- 20. What request did same. mas present worth while? Mrs. Rizal make at the JUAN: What do you 12. Why do we give pres- gate of Paco cemetery in mean? en ts at Christmas? Manila?