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WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BY SCOTT AND ANDREA VANDER PLOEG PREKPLAYS.COM All material is copyrighted and all rights are reserved. Once you have purchased “The Colors of Christmas,” you have permission to make as many copies as needed for your performance. Making copies of the script, songs, or movie files for any other purpose than the performance, or distributing this material without permission is strictly forbidden.

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Introduction

Thank you for purchasing “The Colors of Christmas.” This play may be utilized by various sized preschools. You are highly encouraged to use your imagination to adapt this Christmas pageant to fit the needs of your school and students. There are five songs that your preschoolers will practice and learn. It is recommended that all the preschool students sing each of the songs together. However, if you are directing a large preschool, you may wish to have individual classes learn and sing only individual songs. “The Colors of Christmas” is written in such a way so that the story of Christmas is told by a narrator. This narrator may be the school director, a teacher, or another adult. The narration may also be broken into parts and read by several different people. As a part of the play, there is an option for having children act out the parts for Mary and Joseph, a choir of angels, shepherds, and wise men. It is recommended that you create colorful costumes and a colorful set in order to fit with the overall theme of the play. To this end, Mary and Joseph will wear blue. The angels and shepherds will wear white. The wise men will wear yellow. It is recommended that all the other children wear green and red. Have fun! Use your imagination! And may God bless your efforts as you tell the important story of Jesus’ birth.

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The Colors of Christmas

Narrator: “Christmas is a time for color. Red and green. Silver and white. Blue and gold. The colors of Christmas are everywhere. God loves color! He made every color in the rainbow. We enjoy the colors of this world and receive them as a gift from God. Thank God for colors. And thank God for Christmas!” Play and sing: Song #1 “The Colors of Christmas” The Christmas tree is green, the Christmas snow is white The Christmas Star is yellow and it shines throughout the night Chorus: Oh the colors of Christmas are beautiful to see Oh the colors of Christmas that God gave me Our Christmas lights are red, our Christmas lights are blue Our Christmas lights are orange, they're pink and purple too Chorus: Oh the colors of Christmas are beautiful to see Oh the colors of Christmas that God gave me Oh the colors of Christmas are beautiful to see Oh the colors of Christmas that God gave me Narrator: “Green and red are the colors of Christmas. Of course, we enjoy these two colors especially at Christmas time. But you might be wondering just how green and red became the official colors of Christmas. You’ll be happy to know we have the answer.

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The reason green is a Christmas color is that green signifies life. For instance, evergreen trees stay alive and green all year long. That is why we use these trees as Christmas trees. They stay alive even in the depths of winter. Christmas is the perfect time to celebrate life. For at Christmas time, we celebrate the fact that Jesus came to offer us eternal life. The color red also has deep roots in the tradition of Christmas. Red symbolizes the blood of Jesus. At Christmas time, we see red everywhere. Santa sports red with his popular costume. Christmas presents are wrapped in red paper. Most Christmas decorations contain red too. This is because at Christmas we remember that Jesus came to pay for our sins with his blood. Yes, the Christmas colors green and red are here to stay. We instantly associate these colors with Christmas. It is difficult to imagine any other colors associated with Christmas. So this year, get out your red and green clothes and decorations, and celebrate the life that Jesus gives to us at Christmas.” Play and sing: Song #2 “Green and Red, Did You Hear What I Said?” Chorus Green and red are the colors of Christmas, The colors of Christmas are green and red. Green and red, did you hear what I said? The colors of Christmas are green and red. Green is for life. The life that God gives to me. Just like with the Chistmas tree, Jesus gives me life. Chorus Green and red are the colors of Christmas, The colors of Christmas are green and red. Green and red, did you hear what I said? The colors of Christmas are green and red.

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Red is for the blood The blood that Jesus gave for me Just like Christmas presents Jesus gives me life. Chorus Green and red are the colors of Christmas, The colors of Christmas are green and red. Green and red, did you hear what I said? The colors of Christmas are green and red. Green and red, did you hear what I said? The colors of Christmas are green and red. Narrator: “Black and blue. Can these be colors of Christmas too? Black and Blue? Yes, like blue, as in—the blues. As in "I am feeling blue." Not everyone is up and cheery for the Christmas season. In fact, sometimes at Christmas we can really feel the blues. Sometimes at Christmas we miss loved ones sorely. Sometimes we have to cope with the loss of a job. Sometimes cancer or some other disease puts a big question mark over our future. In fact, a number of situations may make parties and celebrations at Christmas painful for many people.” (Mary and Joseph enter the stage dressed in blue. They look very sad—perhaps even pretending to cry. Mary and Joseph walk to the center of the stage where a manger has been placed beforehand. They stand near the manger for the remainder of the play). “Look, its Mary and Joseph. They look very sad too. They had to leave their home and were forced to travel far away even though Mary was pregnant and just about to give birth. When they reached Bethlehem, where they were going, there was no place to stay. So their baby had to be born in a barn. Mary and Joseph faced big problems at Christmas. Maybe black and blue are good Christmas colors after all.”

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Play and sing: Song #3 “Black and Blue: Sometimes I Feel It Too.” They left their home Didn’t know what to do An angel told ‘em I’ll be with you Chorus Black and Blue Sometimes I feel it too Black and Blue Sometimes I feel it too They rode all night Took their donkey too. Go to Bethlehem. What else could they do? Chorus Black and Blue Sometimes I feel it too Black and Blue Sometimes I feel it too There was no room In the inn. Go to a barn And stay within. Chorus Black and Blue Sometimes I feel it too Black and Blue Sometimes I feel it too Black and Blue Sometimes I feel it too Black and Blue Sometimes I feel it too

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(Shepherds enter the stage to the side wearing white robes and holding shepherds’ staffs.) Narrator: “White is also a color of Christmas. It is the color of hope. Even in our darkest black and blue moments, Christmas reminds us that there is great hope. A ray of light shines in the darkness. That is what the shepherds found out first hand. They were out in their fields tending their sheep in the dark of night. Suddenly, a great company of heavenly hosts appeared.” (Angels enter the stage also wearing white, having white wings and white haloes. They stand near the shepherds.) Narrator: “The angels declared:” All children say in unison: “Glory to God on high. And peace to all men.” Narrator: “The shepherds were so amazed at what they heard. They immediately left their sheep to go and see Jesus themselves.” (Shepherds and Angels go and surround the manger scene and remain there for the rest of the play.) Play and sing: Song #4 “A Really, Really Wooly White Christmas” While shepherds watched their flocks by night All seated on the ground An angel of the Lord came down And glory shone around

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Chorus It was a really, really wooly white Christmas The baby Jesus, pure as white can be It was a really, really wooly white Christmas Oh Jesus, please help me. To you, in David's town, this day, Is born of David's line A Savior, who is Christ the Lord; A babe shall be the sign Chorus It was a really, really wooly white Christmas The baby Jesus, pure as white can be It was a really, really wooly white Christmas Oh Jesus, please help me. All glory be to God on high, And to the earth be peace; Good will go forth from heaven to earth Begin and never cease." Chorus It was a really, really wooly white Christmas The baby Jesus, pure as white can be It was a really, really wooly white Christmas Oh Jesus, please help me. Narrator: “Yellow is also a color of Christmas. That is because there were wise men who came searching for Jesus after he had been born.” (Wise men enter stage wearing yellow with yellow crowns on their heads. One child may also be assigned to hold up a yellow star on a yellow pole above the manger. The wise men walk towards the manger scene, place their yellow crowns in the manger as the following narration is read. They remain near the manger scene for the rest of the play.)

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Narrator: “Jesus had been born in a manger and was laid on a yellow bed of hay. The wise men followed a yellow star in the sky to find the baby Jesus. When they found Jesus, they worshipped him and offered him expensive gifts. They recognized that this baby was a king. Perhaps they placed a yellow crown right on top his head.” Play and sing: Song #5 “Shout Yellow” (Chorus – To be shouted as a chant) Joy, joy, joy shout yellow for joy. Joy, joy, joy shout yellow for joy. Long ago on a winter night Way up high, a yellow star shone bright And when the stars in heaven I see I remember Jesus came for me. One. Two. Three. Four. (Chorus – To be shouted as a chant) Hope, hope, hope, shout yellow for hope. Hope, hope, hope, shout yellow for hope. Jesus was a baby so small Laid to sleep in a humble stall While in the manger that baby lay He was right on top a yellow bed of hay. One. Two. Three. Four. (Chorus – To be shouted as a chant) Love, love, love, shout yellow for love. Love, love, love, shout yellow for love. Wise men came from far away To rejoice in Jesus that Christmas day They came right to the manger bed With a yellow crown for his little head. One. Two. Three. Four. (Chorus – To be shouted as a chant) Joy, joy, joy shout yellow for joy. Joy, joy, joy shout yellow for joy. Joy, joy, joy shout yellow for joy. Joy, joy, joy shout yellow for joy.

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Narrator: As we have seen, colors are important to Christmas. They help tell perhaps the most important story that has ever been told. This Christmas season, pay special attention to all of the colors around you and realize that these colors are a Christmas gift straight from God. Play and sing: Song #1 “The Colors of Christmas” The Christmas tree is green, the Christmas snow is white The Christmas Star is yellow and it shines throughout the night Chorus: Oh the colors of Christmas are beautiful to see Oh the colors of Christmas that God gave me Our Christmas lights are red, our Christmas lights are blue Our Christmas lights are orange, they're pink and purple too Chorus: Oh the colors of Christmas are beautiful to see Oh the colors of Christmas that God gave me Oh the colors of Christmas are beautiful to see Oh the colors of Christmas that God gave me The End.