(The Christmas Nativity scene runs parallel to this skit).
(Cast: Marvel and Bryan are believers; Ryan is a Roman Catholic unbeliever; Senthil is also an unbeliever; All four are buddies. Sarah is Bryan's little daughter).
(A Santa Claus costume is needed for Sarah.A bag with a cake inside will be carried in by Senthil)

The scene happens in Bryan's home. Marvel and Ryan are in his house.

Marvel: Hey buddy! How are you?

Ryan: Really tired out. It is December and it is not even 25th but the Christmas season has drained all my energy out. And I had to manage all these with the social distancing and other SOPs in force still. (Or any other crisis prevalent in the society at the time of the skit)

Marvel: Oh! I can understand. But, I want to tell you something. Do you know that the real birthday of Christ was not on the 25th of December?

Ryan: No. Don’t tell me that. We have always celebrated it on 25th Dec for centuries.

Bryan: Yes. But this tradition was handed over to us by our so called “Christian” forefathers who were not really Christians in the first place.

Ryan: Really?

Marvel: Yes, during the time of Emperor Constantine of the 4th century AD, all people of his kingdom were proclaimed as Christians by an overnight decree. So, all pagan festivals entered Christianity and were given a Christian shade.

Ryan: So, what festival was celebrated on the 25th of Dec? Not the birth of Christ?

Bryan: No. It was a pagan festival that celebrated a Mother goddess who said that her husband was reborn to her as a child. Purely non-Christian. People somehow started relating this to the Mary – Jesus names in the Bible and this has come to stay till date.

Ryan: So, we have been celebrating a pagan festival all this while! And that in the name of Christmas! O.K. But you mentioned about some AD. What is it?

Bryan: Oh! AD is Anno Domini - a Latin word that means 'in the year of the Lord'. All our birth dates are calculated from this day of the birth of Jesus Christ. Any date before this day is called BC - Before Christ. However, today's wisemen who can't bear to hear the word 'Lord Jesus' have changed it to BCE and CE in our modern textbooks.

Ryan: Before Christ on Earth and Christ on Earth. Correct?

Bryan: Well said. Even I did not think about it this way. However, according to them, BCE is Before Common Era and CE is Common Era. Do they agree that Christ is Common for all people, not just Christians? I wish so.

Marvel: Yes. But the birth of Christ is an undeniable fact. So, We Christians can certainly make use of this holiday to remember the historical day when Jesus was born in this world and try to spread the truth. (Luke 2:1 – 5).

(Senthil enters with a bag – a gift is inside this)

Senthil: Happy Christmas to you buddies!

Marvel, Bryan and Ryan: Hey Senthil. Thanks for the wishes. Wish you the same.

Senthil: What? I don’t celebrate Christmas. I thought it was a festival for the Christians.

Bryan: That is what a lot of people assume. But do you want to know the fact?
Jesus is the Saviour of the whole world – that includes people of every religion – Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Jains - and even to all who think they don’t belong to any religion at all or all who deny there is a God. (Luke 2:10-14); (John 4:40-42).

(Angels address the Shepherds)

Senthil: So, Christ was born as a Saviour to every one of us – all mankind? Great to hear. Tell me more.

Marvel: Jesus, who bore God’s image as the Son of God, condescended and was conceived as a baby boy in the womb of virgin Mary even before she came together with Joseph, who was betrothed to her. The meaning of His name is “Saviour” – the one who saves His people from their sins. Even Mary confessed that she needed this Saviour. (Matt1:20,21); (Luke 1:46,47)

Ryan: So why do we worship her? And Joseph? And a whole lot of Saints and angels?

(Shepherds visit the manger. Mary, Joseph and the shepherds worship Jesus)

Bryan: That is where you people have got it all wrong. See, even the wise men worshipped Jesus – not the so called “Holy Family” – Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus and all. (Matt 2:11)

Senthil: Oh yes, three wise men – from the east. I have heard about this.

Marvel: From the east- yes. It could have been even from India – we are also located east of Palestine which is today claimed as Israel. But three wise men? Not necessarily. (Matt 2:1)

Ryan: Not three wise men? We have always thought so. Don’t we sing “We three kings of orient are”?

Marvel: Could have been more.

Ryan: But how did this number three come into being?

Bryan: Remember the wise men brought three kinds of gifts to the young child to their house. That could have been the reason. (Matt 2:11)

Ryan: Young child? Not the baby? In their house? Not in the manger? Every nativity scene enacted over the centuries and every crib built at Christian homes showed that three wise men visited the manger.

(Jesus, the young child is playing. Mary and Jesus are watching and playing) Marvel: No, the boy Jesus could have been two years old or a little less when the magi visited them. That is why king Herod decreed that all male children below the age of two were to be killed post the departure of the wise men. (Luke 2:11, 16)

Ryan: News! Shocking! Why did we miss this all along?

(Four wise men visit the house)

Bryan: Talking about the gifts, do you know that each of the three gifts had a great significance?

Senthil: Come on Bryan. You are kidding. Gifts? Great significance?

Bryan: Yes. Great significance to every one of us. The gold signified that Jesus is the Christ, the anointed King promised by God. The myrrh signified that he would die bodily for the sins of the whole world and be buried.

Ryan: What about the frankincense?

Bryan: Jesus did not only die and was buried but he rose again on the third day bodily. After 40 days, He went to heaven to intercede for the believers as a Great High Priest – offering frankincense continually on our behalf – until he comes back for us.

Senthil: Oh! Is there such a lot of truth behind even the gifts?

(Sarah runs in and is jittery – she is clothed in a Santa Claus costume)

Sarah: (to Bryan) Daddy, it is time to go and buy a Christmas tree. Come, it is getting late.

Marvel: Hey Sarah! You have a nice Santa Claus costume!

(Marvel picks her up and cuddles her)

Marvel: Friends, come, we will tell you something more about this.

(All of them are standing now)

Marvel: The original Christmas day did not have any Santa Claus. Nor was there a Christmas tree. All these were brought in later and started gaining popularity because of the commercial element linked to it.

Senthil: Tell us more about this.

Marvel: Santa Claus or Saint Nicolas is a mythical figure – not a real person. He is supposed to live in the North pole where it is very cold. This climate requires him to wear bulky clothes. He is also thought to bring gifts to children during Christmas.

Ryan: And the Christmas tree?

Bryan: The tree signified origin and sustenance of life and the pagans worshipped such trees and stumps. It is an abomination to God. It got its name “Christmas tree” when pagan traditions entered Christianity – remember I told you about Emperor Constantine? They did not believe that Christ brings eternal life. They worshipped a creation instead of the Creator.

Ryan: So, how about the bells and stars and stockings on mistletoes’ branches?

Bryan: It was among these that Christmas gifts were hidden to add a mystery element for the children. Eventually, it is a pity that, not only children but even the grown-ups, forgot the unspeakable Gift that God provided us in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, thereby unveiling a long hidden divine mystery.

Senthil: Talking about gifts - I have brought one for your family. Here it is. But forgive me for the Xmas that is mentioned on the cake. Now I realize that it is not an X who was born – an unknown to today’s wise men and scholars. I have understood that it is Christ the Saviour who was born to save me from my sins and provide me everlasting life. In fact, this Christmas is real to me because I want Christ to be born in me.

Ryan: Merry Christmas, Marvel. Have a wonderful party Bryan!

Marvel: Thanks for the wishes, Ryan. But also, remember that Christians don’t make merry on Christmas day - drinking, dancing and partying. Only those who don’t know Christ indulge in all such worldly merry-making. All those wise men who seek Jesus even today celebrate His birth by sharing His love with everybody around; we share the good news of how one can receive salvation by believing in the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. So, Happy Christmas!

Sara: (to Marvel) Happy Christmas, uncle! (to Ryan and Senthil) Happy Christmas uncle!

Ryan (To himself) : So, have I been celebrating Christmas all my life without understanding the true meaning of Christmas? Thank God, I know it at least now. This Christmas is going to be a really different one for me and my family. I believe in the true Christ Jesus and I want Him to be born not only in my heart but also in the heart of everyone in my family. We will have Christ in our Christmas this year.