Mr. St. Nicholas
The characters are Old-fashioned
Santa Claus, dressed in the traditional
costume of fur, white beard, and a Christmas
pack; Mr. St. Nicholas, in evening dress
with silk hat; Dora, Katie, Maggie, and
little Bess; Harry, Charlie, Tom, and John
in ordinary school clothes.
The scene opens with
a large fireplace arranged at the center
of the platform, a dark curtain drawn
before the opening to conceal Santa Claus.
The accompaniment to "Nancy Lee" is heard,
and the eight children march in, carrying
their stockings. |
Oh, Christmas
time has come again,
Tra la la la, tra la la la;
We welcome it with glad refrain,
Tra la la la la la.
Of all the happy holidays this year
There's none so joyous, none so dear,
Then sing we all our song of festive glee,
Of Santa Claus and Christmas tree.
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Chorus.—Oh,
ring the bells, the merry Christmas bells,
Their music all our pleasure tells. (Repeat, singing tra la la whenever
necessary to give the rhythm. They pause in groups
in center, right, and left; some sit, others
stand, and change their positions during the
dialogue)
Harry: Oh dear,
the same old thing again this year, I suppose! "Hang
up the baby's stocking, be sure you don't forget."
Charlie: This baby's stocking
is the biggest bicycle hose I could buy. (Pins
it at one side of the chimney.) I don't think
old Santa could miss it if he tried.
Dora: I made mine to suit the occasion,
for I hope Santa Claus will fit a zither into
it. (Displays a large, fantastically shaped
stocking of striking color, and fastens it beside
Charlie's.)
Harry: You ought
to take a prize, Dora, for designing the most—ahem!—unexpected-looking
stocking. Generous sized, too! Here goes my contribution
to the chimney. (Hangs up a sock.) It's
big enough to hold a coin of gold that will buy
me a new bicycle. I don't care for any knick-knacks.
Katie: I must confess that I'm rather
tired of this old custom of hanging up our stockings
on Christmas eve and crawling out of bed in the
cold dawn to see what is in them. I wish some
one would invent a new way.
Maggie: Just what I thought, Katie, last
winter, though I never spoke of it. But if you've
hung your stocking up, I must have mine there
too. (Goes to chimney.)
John: Well, I refuse to fall in line
this year. I'm tired of the whole plan. It seems
absurd for an old chap to come tumbling down
the fireplace and load up our stockings.
Tom: I agree with you, John! What we
want is a new-fashioned Christmas. A real, up-to-date
Santa Claus, and no more of this children's nonsense.
Bess: Not have Santa Claus any more?
Isn't he coming to-night? (Cries.)
John: Oh yes, he'll remember you if you're
a good little girl and stop crying. Dora, help
Bess to fasten up her stocking.
(After the stocking is fixed, Bess faces
the audience and recites.)
Bess: I
do hope dear old Santa
Will come this way to-night,
And come here to my stocking,
To fill it nice and tight.
I'd like to watch and see him,
But I know I must wait
Till shines the Christmas sunshine
I hope he won't be late.
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Tom: Let Bess have her old-fashioned
Santa Claus, but the rest of us vote for something
different.
Harry: I used to think Santa a pretty
jolly old duffer, who made lots of sport for
the infants, but I'm ready for a change myself.
Dora: Don't count me in to help out your
majority; Santa Claus seems to me the kindly
spirit of Christmas appearing mysteriously to
give us greater pleasure.
Katie: Well, I'll side with the boys
this time and see if there is any improvement
in holiday matters.
Charlie: You'll think me a baby to stick
to the old style. I won't venture an opinion
at all.
Tom: Then we are agreed that of Santa
Claus we have no need.
John: } Kate: } Tis what we all
concede. Harry: } Maggie: }
(All sing to the tune of "Maryland,
My Maryland.")
Old Santa
Claus is such a bore,
Of him we've had too much and more;
Now what we want is something new,
But what is there for us to do?
A new St. Nick would be the thing,
Who would our Christmas presents bring.
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(Electric bell sounds, the door opens, and
Mr. St. Nicholas comes on the stage. He bows
and takes off his hat.)
Mr. St. N.: Good evening, young people!
I see you are at your old-time tricks of hanging
up your stockings. This won't do. Don't you know
it's gone out of fashion? (Goes toward fireplace;
the boys rush to protect their property.)
John: Who are you, sir? And how dare
you interfere with our fun?
Mr. St. N.: I am the new, up-to-the-times
Santa Claus. My proper name is Mr. St. Nicholas.
I am on my rounds to take the names of all the
young people who deserve a remembrance at Christmas
time. I haven't a moment to lose. My telephones
are overburdened with messages, my men are distracted
with the work to be done between now and daylight. (Pulls
out a book and pencil and prepares to write while
he addresses Tom and speaks rapidly without waiting
for a reply.) Your name, young man? Your
age, birthplace, parents' names? Residence? Attendant
at what school? What specific tastes? List of
last year's presents. Make haste, time is money.
Katie: But Santa—I mean Mr. St.
Nicholas—here are our stockings.
Mr. St. N.: Christmas stockings! trash
and nonsense. They belong to the dark ages.
Harry: Pray, how do you bestow your gifts?
Mr. St. N.: By district messenger service,
of course! Next boy (to Charlie), give
me your name, age, birthplace, parents' names,
residence, school, specific tastes, last year's
presents.
Charlie: How did you come here, Mr. St.
Nicholas? I heard no sleigh-bells at the door.
Mr. St. N. (scornfully): More nonsense
to explain. I came down from the north pole in
an air-ship of the latest pattern. Come, now,
here are these girls waiting to be classified. (To
Dora.) Name, age—
Dora: I won't be put in statistics, even
if it is Christmas and you are the patron saint.
Charlie: Nor I. I didn't vote for any
improvements. Take them away.
John: You seem a trifle ahead of the
age, Mr. St. Nicholas, or else we made a great
mistake in being discontented with our old-fashioned
Christmas.
Tom: Allow me to call down your air-ship.
(Mr. St. Nicholas is ushered to the door.
The others turn back at the sound of sleigh-bells.
Santa Claus appears at the fireplace.)
Children (greeting him with enthusiasm):
Jolly old Saint Nicholas!
Santa Claus: Oh! ho! ha! ha! Are you
really glad to see such an old-fashioned specimen
as I am?
John: Indeed we are! We have just shown
your usurper the door.
Bess (clasping S.C.'s hand): You
are the real Santa Claus.
Santa Claus: Yes, I am the real Santa
Claus, and I cannot get to work until you children
are fast asleep. So scurry away as fast as you
can, and a merry, merry Christmas when you awake!
Children (singing
to the tune of "Nancy
Lee," end at the end leaving the stage):
Oh! Christmas
time has come again,
Tra la la la, tra la la la.
We welcome it with glad refrain,
Tra la la la la la.
Of all the happy holidays this year,
There's none so joyous, none so dear,
Then sing we all our song of festive glee,
Of Santa Claus and Christmas tree.
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Chorus.—O
ring the bells, the merry Christmas bells,
Their music all out pleasure tells. (Repeat.)
(Santa Claus unpacks his goods, and as he
fills the stockings he performs various antics,
holds up the objects, and dances about. Any
local expressions that will create amusement
he can bring in with running commentaries.
The piano is heard softly till he is through,
and then bursts out loudly as the curtain is
drawn.)
By ALICE M. KELLOGG
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