UPDATE: Do to popular demand, I just published an updated version of this Christmas play that has included the shepherds and wise men. Check it out and let me know your thoughts. However, I’m going to leave the below version of the play for those who want to have a shorter program. Enjoy and have a beautiful Christmas celebrating our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
My wife and I were asked this year to be over our Ward’s Christmas party. To say it was a bit overwhelming for us is an understatement since we had never pulled off such a large celebration before. However, it has now been a week since we had the party and we are still active Ãœ.
While we were planning the party our Ward Mission Leader asked if we would be willing to create a Christmas nativity program that wove together both the Bible and the Book of Mormon’s story of the Savior’s birth. Unfortunately, I was the one tasked writing a script for it. I was surprised how difficult a few paragraphs turned out to be. Yet, in the end I was pleased with the final product.
So, below is the script. If you have any questions, additions, and/or changes feel free to let me know.
SETTING UP: For our program we split our stage into two areas. On the left side was the Bible scene and on the right the Book of Mormon. We also had a narrator who was in front of the curtains for the whole program. The narrator sat  in a comfortable chair we stole from the foyer with a lamp to give a cozy home feeling. He had a book in his lap which had his manuscript in it. When he read we had the different characters come in on stage and silently act out their parts. Other then the readers our program was entirely done by the primary, because of this we did not have the children say anything while on stage. We had limited time to practice and this simplified everything (considerably). One last note, once Mary and Joseph came on to the stage they never left.Â
[Before Curtains Open]
NARRATOR: During the Christmas season we celebrate the birth of Christ, but often we only share the story found in the New Testament. However, the Book of Mormon has a story of his miraculous birth. Samuel the Lamanite prophesied five years before Christ’s actual birth about great and amazing signs that would signify the coming of the Savior into the world. Yet, when the time came there were many among the Nephites who did not believe.
[Curtains Open]
3 NEPHI 1 NATIVITY SCENE (1)
[Have on stage before curtains open four or five evil Nephites who will be mocking Nephi while the curtains open. The voice for the scriptures is different then the narrator and is off stage.]
SCRIPTURES: Now it came to pass that there was a day set apart by the unbelievers, that all those who believed in those traditions should be put to death except the sign should come to pass, which had been given by Samuel the prophet.
Now when Nephi, the son of Nephi, saw this wickedness of his people, his heart was exceedingly sorrowful.
And he went out and bowed himself down upon the earth, and cried mightily to his God in behalf of his people, yea, those who were about to be destroyed because of their faith in the tradition of their fathers.
And he cried mightily unto the Lord all that day; and behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying:
[Have a spotlight focus on Nephi when the Lord starts to speak (speaker is off stage). Have Nephi look up into the light. All wicked Nephites leave stage.]
LORD: Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.
[Stage goes dark and Nephi leaves.]
LUKE 2 NATIVITY SCENE (2)
NARRATOR: As the Lord promised Nephi of his coming, we learn in the New Testament that Joseph and Mary, the Savior’s soon to be earthly parents, traveled to Bethlehem to be taxed. Upon their arrival they were unable to find room in an inn and therefore took refuge in a humble stable for the Savior to come into the world.
[Mary and Joseph come onto stage. We had a manager holding the baby Jesus already on stage, which was used to show Mary and Joseph where to go to.]
SCRIPTURES: And so it was, that, while they were there, she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was none to give room for them in the inns.
3 NEPHI 1 NATIVITY SCENE (3)
NARRATOR: In Jerusalem we see our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ born into humble circumstances, but in the promised land of the Nephites his birth is marked with a glorious sign of radiant light that astonished all those who did not believe.
[Have the wicked Nephites back on stage (do not bring on Nephi). Have all the lights focused on them and have the children acting scared and bewildered.]
SCRIPTURES: And it came to pass that the words which came unto Nephi were fulfilled, according as they had been spoken; for behold, at the going down of the sun there was no darkness; and the people began to be astonished because there was no darkness when the night came. And there were many, who had not believed the words of the prophets, who fell to the earth and became as if they were dead
[have all the wicked Nephites fall to the ground]
for they knew that the great plan of destruction which they had laid for those who believed in the words of the prophets had been frustrated; for the sign which had been given was already at hand.
And there was no darkness in all that night, but it was as light as though it was mid-day.
And the sun did rise in the morning again, according to its proper order; and they knew that it was the day that the Lord should be born, because of the sign which had been given.
And a new star did appear, according to the word.
[Have a new star appear of the stable scene with Mary and Joseph.]
LUKE 2 NATIVITY SCENE (4)
[Note: You could easily add here the shepherds being visited by an angel or the wise men seeing the star. However, adding in these scenes made it too long and complicated for our primary, so we didn’t use it. If you write a narrative for this scene let me know and I will add it.]
NARRATOR: With such amazing and astonishing signs there was much talk and wonder among both the people of the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Yet, for Mary, now the mortal mother of the Son of God all of these experiences she cherished for she knew her time with her newborn son would be short.
[All the lights now focus on Mary and Joseph and the wicked Nephites leave the stage.]
SCRIPTURES: Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
[A sister wearing all white comes on to stage and stands over Mary and Joseph singing Mary’s Lullaby (Tonight You Are Mine)]
Final Note: After the sister sang her song we invited the entire primary to come up and sing “Away in a Manger” and “Silent Night.” This concluded our primary Christmas Nativity program.Â
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