Most Christmas musicals and Christmas plays follow the traditional genres of comedy and drama. Some Christmas plays are based on Christmas stories such as A Christmas Carol or The Nativity Story. When you are attending the Christmas musical or Christmas play, you should go in with a fresh outlook and resist comparing it films or other plays or musicals you may have previously seen. Characters should become unique to your imagination and inspire you.

Helpful Resources: Christmas Musicals This article talks about Christmas musicals and Christmas plays and how they help remind people of the true meaning of Christmas. This particular article talks about things that may help you write your Christmas production. Christmas Origins This web site talks about the origins of different Christmas items like Christmas stockings. It provides information about the Christmas tree and how it represents the Nativity story and other Christmas traditions that have become popular. Wikipedia: A Christmas Carol Wikipedia.org provides great information about the Charles Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol. This web site talks about the central theme of the story and how it has been adapted to several Christmas plays and Christmas musicals. A Charlie Brown Christmas Movie This web site provides information about the popular cartoon, A Charlie Brown Christmas. It discusses how Charlie Brown is repelled by the commercialism of the Christmas holiday and how he finds the true meaning of Christmas. Wikipedia: Nativity The underlying theme to the entire holiday of Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Wikipedia.org provides information about the birth of Jesus Christ and where you can find it in Luke. A Christmas Carol This is an essay about the underlying theme in A Christmas Carol. This web page discusses how Ebenezer Scrooge learns from his mistakes and changes his ways for the future. Charlie Brown Christmas Wikipedia.org talks about A Charlie Brown Christmas and how it teaches the Nativity story to children. It talks about how a young boy learns the true meaning of Christmas and repels the commercialism of the holiday. Christmas Musicals or Plays If you are looking for a Christmas musical or Christmas play for a production, this web site can help. This web site has hundreds of Christmas musicals and plays that can be adapted for any occasion. Nativity Story If you would like to direct a Christmas play on the Nativity story, this is a great web site. This play has been adapted for churches, schools, and other occasions where you would like to teach the audience about the Nativity. Classroom Plays and Musicals Many teachers are in need of help for finding ideas for Christmas plays and musicals, this web site provides hundreds of Christmas musicals and Christmas plays. It also has short skits that you can use in your classroom.

Since A Christmas Carol has been re-created numerous times, it is important to remember that each version will try and have its own twist to keep the audience captivated. Some Christmas plays or Christmas musicals may have outlandish storylines, such as aliens celebrating Christmas on the moon, while others tend to stick with a traditional, religious view of Christmas.

It is important to understand the story of the birth of Jesus Christ in order to understand the underlying message of many Christmas musicals and Christmas plays. The true meaning of Christmas is not about the presents, but the love you share with friends and family. It is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. There are several Christmas musicals that have songs focused on the birth of Jesus Christ. If you attend a Christmas musical that is focused on the birth of Jesus Christ, expect to hear such carols as "O Holy Night" or "Little Town of Bethlehem".

If you are writing a Christmas musical, there are several places you can look for Christmas music. Finding the music for your Christmas musical is the easy part. Many Christmas carols are public domain and they can be used freely in an original musical. A schoolteacher will find this as quite a relief if the music needs to be rehearsed by schoolchildren. The vast variety of Christmas carols can easily help you write your Christmas musical or Christmas play. There are several different musical styles to choose from and each can put a different emphasis and focus on your Christmas musical or Christmas play. Use the Christmas carols as your inspiration when you are writing the Christmas musical or Christmas play.

It is enjoyable to sit back and relax while watching a Christmas production that truly emphasizes the Christmas spirit. Christmas musicals and Christmas plays can be enjoyed by the entire family and serve as a reminder as to what this magical holiday is all about. Consider attending a Christmas musical or Christmas play with your family this year, it may end up becoming a tradition in your family.

A Christmas Carol
Perhaps one of the most popular Christmas stories of all time is Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol. This popular story has been adapted into several Christmas musicals and Christmas plays around the world. The story has a moral theme that discusses why treasures of the world show nothing compared to compassion for the fellow man.

Most stage adaptations of A Christmas Carol follow the same basic storyline, with a few alterations. While some versions of A Christmas Carol focus on Ebenezer Scrooge and his ignorance and want. Others use ignorance and want a small portion of the overall story of a miserable miser who changed his lifestyle overnight.

A Christmas Carol may change with each play you see, but the overall story will remain the same. A Christmas Carol is about Ebenezer Scrooge, a greedy old miser who cares only about money. Over the course of one night, he is called to reckoning by 3 spirits who show him that money should not matter and it should not control your life. Scrooge does not have the Christmas spirit and drives away anyone who tries to share theirs with him. His nephew, Fred, is the only individual who will not give up on the old miser and he continues to invite his crotchety uncle to Christmas dinner with his family each year.

Scrooge had a partner, Jacob Marley, who was just as greedy as he was before he passed away. On the night of Christmas Eve, Marley visits Scrooge and warns him to change his ways, or he will be condemned to a fate worse than his. After Marley leaves, the spirit of Christmas past visits Scrooge and shows him all that he used to be and the happiness he used to have. The spirit shows him that his love for money drove away those who truly love him and he lost his happiness.

Scrooge has one employee, Bob Cratchit, whom he treats poorly and pays little. Cratchit has a lame son, Tiny Tim, which will not make it to the next years Christmas if the events of the present remain unchanged. Overwhelmed with the compassion of the child, Scrooge begins to realize his mistakes and changes his life. During his visit with the ghost of Christmas present, he is shown what people really think of him and he is deeply hurt.

The ghost of Christmas yet to come shows Scrooge his death and how the community reacts to his death. Instead of being saddened by his passing, the community celebrates his death and does not seem to care that he has passed on. Scrooge realizes that he needs to redeem himself before it is too late. Upon waking on Christmas morning, Scrooge sends money to the poor and throws a Christmas celebration for Bob Cratchit and his family. He pays for medical care for Tiny Tim and the lame boy is healed before the following Christmas.

A Christmas Carol continues to remain popular to this day. The story has not only become popular as a Christmas play or Christmas musical, but it has been adapted to movies and cartoons as well. The story truly captures the true meaning of Christmas and leaves a heartwarming impression on all those who watch it.

A Nativity Story and A Charlie Brown Christmas
Another popular story that is portrayed as a Christmas play is the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. Several churches put on productions that focus on the Nativity story. Even children's films have been made to teach children about the true meaning of Christmas. A Charlie Brown Christmas first made its debut in 1965 and remains popular to this day. The cartoon tells of a young boy, Charlie Brown, who is depressed by the commercialism of the holiday season. He is given advice to join in the school play about the Nativity.

The story goes on to show he is depressed to find out his sister writes Santa Claus and asks for money. He also learns that his dog who is frantically decorating his doghouse in order to win a prize. Charlie Brown decides his play needs a Christmas tree in order to set the mood for the play. As he heads to the tree lot, he is saddened by the commercialism of the Christmas trees and finally finds a tree that capitalizes the true meaning of Christmas.

When Charlie Brown returns to the school play, everyone is upset by his Christmas tree and he is verbally castigated by everyone. Charlie Brown begins to wonder if he really knows what Christmas is all about. Linus steps into the spotlight and tells the Nativity story. Upon hearing this story, Charlie Brown realizes he does understand what Christmas is all about. He is later reminded by his friends who use decorations from the doghouse to decorate the tree he picked out for the Christmas play.

The Nativity story can be found in the second chapter of Luke, versus 8 through 14. It discusses how shepherds where told by angles of the birth of the baby Jesus. Perhaps the most popular verse from Luke is verse 14 which reads: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

The Nativity story is the underlying theme to the entire holiday season. During the holiday season this year, take time to see a Christmas play that discusses the Nativity. You should also see a Christmas play or Christmas musical about Charles Dickens classing A Christmas Carol. Christmas musicals and Christmas plays are a wonderful way to invite the true meaning of Christmas into your heart and remind you about what this time of year truly focuses on.