Huge list of Christmas and holiday plays for school performances. These short plays and skits for elementary and middle school students are royalty-free. Browse funny versions of classics such as A Christmas Carol, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, and more. Download the PDFs immediately and put on an easy holiday performance for young audiences.
How to Put on a Stress-free Holiday Show
Complete guide to putting on an original Christmas program. 25 pages including rehearsal schedule, set design ideas, monologues, stories, poems and more!
Funny Letters to Santa
31 hilarious letters to Santa to use as mini-monologues or as part of a holiday variety show! Ages 8 and up.
20 Holiday Monologue Prompts
Are putting on a holiday show, or are you looking for a fun ‘rainy-day’ project with your class? Give students this list and let them choose their own!
Holiday Skit Prompts
Fifteen hilarious short play scenarios that will inspire your students to create their own short holiday plays!
Holiday Pageant Challenge
Holidays are not restricted to one season, so use this creative challenge any time of year to bring joy and laughter to your classroom. Students create their own holidays, including rituals, reasons, and rhymes!
A Twisted Christmas Carol
Students create their own twisted version of Charles Dickens’ classic, A Christmas Carol.
Twelve Days of Winter Break
For ages 10 and up. Students create a modern version of the classic “Twelve Days of Christmas.”
Holiday Stories to Act Out
List of 20 delightful wintry children’s books and ways to use them for activities and performances.
More Holiday Stories to Act Out
List of 20 more delightful children’s books and ways to use them for activities and performances.
Three Ghosts and a Jock
22+ characters. 5F, 16M, 1+ Either; 22 pages long. Approximately 20-25 minutes running time. A comic re-telling of ‘A Christmas Carol,’ written by Quinn Baldwin and Kyle Frederick.
The Gingerbread Boy
18+characters. Flexible casting. 5 minutes running time. Cute repetitive story for young actors (ages 6-10). Includes extras! (3 credits.)
Santa’s Little Reindeer, The Musical
17+ characters with flexible casting. Approximately 40 minutes running time. Sheet music and a link to recorded backtracks for 8 songs are included! (10 credits)
The Christmas Crisis
17+ characters of any gender. Approximately 60 minutes running time. Original holiday story where video games and technology reach Santa and his team at the North Pole.
The Snow Queen’s Revenge on Hercules
14+ characters. 5 minutes running time. Fairy tale and Greek mythology characters face off in this comedy!
The Christmas Child
6+ characters. 3M, 2F, 2+ Either; 7 pages in length. Approximately 10 minutes running time. A story for children about a Christmas miracle adapted by Corinna Rezzelle.
The Mitten
15-30 characters. 7 minutes long. Winter animal story best for younger students. Includes production notes, extension activities and study guide. (3 credits.)
A Child’s Christmas in Wales
15 characters, flexible casting. Approximately 15 minutes long. Heartwarming play based on the classic Christmas story by Dylan Thomas.
Something Like a Christmas Play
6-20 characters. Flexible casting; 13 pages in length. Approximately 15 minutes running time. A comedic Nativity story written by Morton Benning.
Santa Claus and the Naughty Gnomes
13 characters. 2M, 1F, 10 Either; 12 pages in length. Approximately 10-15 minutes running time. A Christmas caper for children written by Olivia Arieti.
An Icy Reunion
12 characters. 5 minutes running time. Tinkerbell opens a dating service, and her first client is Captain Hook!
The Nutcracker in a Flash
12+ characters, flexible casting, approximately 10 minutes. Comedy script about a fast-paced remake of The Nutcracker. Perfect for middle and high school.
Antarctic Mystery
11 characters; 4F, 2M, 5 Either; 6 pages in length. Approximately 5-10 minutes running time. A comedy/mystery for children written by Andy Pavey.
A Brief Christmas Carol
11 characters. 4 pages in length. Approximately 5 minutes running time. A rapid-fire adaptation of a Christmas favorite written by award-winning playwright, Barbara Henderson.
The Little Match Girl
6-10 characters, flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes long. Touching story based on the classic by Hans Christian Anderson. Incorporates dialogue and pantomime. Adapted by Jennifer Reif.
The Little Drummer Boy
11 characters, flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes long. Sweet and playful merging of the Christmas Story and the Little Drummer Boy. Theme of giving from the heart. Adapted by Jennifer Reif.
The Fight Before Christmas
10-14 characters, approximately 10 minutes long. Coal, the Christmas elf, becomes a villain and attempts to ruin the holiday. Wordplay makes this fun for both children and teens to perform.
The Elves and the Shoemaker
6-10 characters, flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes long. Funny and sweet script based on the popular fairytale. Repetition makes it easy to memorize. Adapted by Jennifer Reif.
The Santa Interviews
10 characters. Flexible casting. 10 minutes running time. Hilarious short holiday play by playwright Wade Bradford.
The Santa Interviews – Online Version
10 characters, flexible casting. 10 minutes running time. Online version!
A Christmas Carol
10 characters; 4M, 4F, 2Either; 10 pages in length. Approximately 10 minutes running time. A comedic adaptation of the Dickens tale written by Andy Pavey.
On the Eighth Night of Hanukkah
9 characters, flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes long. Comedy play about Hanukkah told by the candles in the menorah.
Celebrate Winter
8-13+ characters. 10 minutes running time. The animals of the forest gather to celebrate the changing of the seasons.
Santa’s Little Reindeer Rap
8+ characters with flexible casting. Approximately 15 minutes running time. It’s Christmas Eve and Santa is sick. It’s up to one little reindeer to save the day! Raps provide an opportunity to include many children.
The One About Shoppington
8+ characters, flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes long. Comedy script about holiday shopping. Perfect for middle and high school reader’s theatre or performance.
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas
8 characters; 3F, 4M, 1 Either; 4 pages in length. Approximately 5 minutes running time. A theatrical adaptation of the Christmas poem for children written by Andy Pavey.
The Waif
7+ characters. 2M, 4F, 1+ Either; 14 pages in length. Approximately 15-20 minutes running time. A Victorian Christmas story written by Steven Lancefield.
The Scarecrow’s Christmas
7+ Characters, 10-minute running time. A short Christmas play about a kind girl, a lonely scarecrow, and Santa’s proposal for the scarecrow to come to the North Pole! Perfect for elementary, middle school, or community groups. Royalty-free for educational use.
No Room at the Boutique Hotel
7 characters. 7 minutes running time. A modern-day version of the classic nativity story.
The Christmas Cuckoo
7 characters. 4M, 2F, 1 Either; 8 pages in length. Approximately 10 minutes running time. A story for children about true happiness written by Corinna Rezzelle.
The Velveteen Rabbit
7-10 characters, approximately 15 minutes running time. Touching story based on the beloved children’s book, The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. Incorporates tableaus and creative movement. Adapted by Jennifer Reif.
Pepita and the Poinsettias
7+ Characters, flexible casting, approximately 7 minutes long. Christmas play about the legend of the poinsettia by Olivia Arieti.
A Christmas Surprise For Daddy
6 characters. 2M, 4F; 9 pages in length. Approximately 10 minutes running time. A Christmas comedy for children and teens written by Olivia Arieti.
‘Twas The Night Before Christmas (Radio Play)
6 characters. 2F; 2M; 2 Either; Flexible cast; 6 pages in length. Approximately 5 minutes running time. A radio play adaptation of the famous Christmas poem written by Donald A. Reasoner Jr.
The Tablecloth
6 characters. 2F; 2M; 2 Either; Flexible casting; 8 pages in length. Approximately 5-10 minutes running time. A miraculous reunion written by Donald A. Reasoner Jr.
Mrs. Santa Claus Drives The Sleigh
6 characters. 3M, 3F; 8 pages in length. Approximately 10 minutes running time. A Christmas comedy for children written by Olivia Arieti.
The Gingerbread Man (Comedy)
6 characters. 7 pages in length. Approximately 5-10 minutes running time. An adaptation of the beloved classic tale written by Andy Pavey.
The Little Drummer Boy
5-6 characters. 1F; 2M; 2-3 Either; Flexible casting; 4 pages in length. Approximately 5 minutes running time. A radio play comedy about the famous Christmas song written by Donald A. Reasoner Jr.
The Trees of Throop
5 characters. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Original holiday story with colorful characters and a message of kindness. Nostalgic and quirky. Written by Ted LoRusso.
A Simple Act of Kindness
5 characters, flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes long. It’s Christmas Eve and an inn keeper is reminded that money isn’t everything.
Mr. Gruber’s Silent Night
5 characters. 1F; 2M; 2 Either; Flexible casting; 8 pages in length. Approximately 10 minutes running time. A radio play about the famous Christmas carol written by Donald A. Reasoner Jr.
So What’s The Real Story?
5 characters. 2F; 3M; 19 pages in length. Approximately 20 minutes running time. A comedic nativity story written by Donald A. Reasoner Jr.
Scrooge’s Christmas Eve
4 characters. 3M, 1F; 8 pages in length. Approximately 5-10 minutes running time. A Christmas comedy mash-up written by Olivia Arieti.
Elf Locker Room
3 characters. Flexible casting. 4 pages in length. Approximately 5 minutes running time. A short Christmas elf comedy for kids and teens written by Karen Massey.
Celebrity Christmas Capers
4 characters; 2M, 1F, 1 Either; 7 pages in length. Approximately 5-10 minutes running time. A Christmas comedy for children written by Janice Scully.
Oh My God, They’re Here!
4 characters. 2M, 2F. 7 pages in length. Approximately 5-10 minutes running time. A comedy about a dysfunctional family written by Corrina Bryant.
Br’er Rabbit’s Christmas
4 characters, 4 minutes long. Two-page script for rambunctious boys!
For You or for Me?
3 characters. 1F, 1M, 1Either. 3 pages in length. Approximately 5 minutes running time. A short play for children about the perfect Christmas gift written by Phyllis J. Perry.
Fruitcake: The Gift That Keeps On Giving
3 characters. 1M; 1F; 1 Either; Flexible casting; 3 pages in length. Approximately 5 minutes running time. A short comedy about holiday gift-giving written by Donald A. Reasoner Jr.
The Gift of the Magi
2 characters, flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes long. Modern re-telling of the classic story by O’Henry. Siblings learn about the spirit of giving. Adapted by Jennifer Reif.
Snow Day Superstitions
3 characters. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Short play about kids wishing for a snow day.
A Big Secret
2 characters. 1M, 1F; 14 pages in length. Approximately 15 minutes running time. An angelic Nativity story written by Morton Benning.
