Christmas Candles: Plays for Boys and Girls

In Short

This collection gathers twelve instructional Christmas plays written specifically for child actors, complete with staging, costume, and production guidelines. Through simple plots featuring cold wanderers, whimsical elves, secretive Puritans, traveling performers, and imaginative nursery children, the scripts explore acts of kindness, honesty, and family unity. The anthology has survived as a practical historical artifact of early twentieth-century youth theater, illustrating how Communities once staged domestic and holiday entertainments.

The Story

The collection opens with The Christ-Candle, where a young, lost waif named Friedel wanders through a freezing forest searching for warmth. Coldly turned away by a bitter stick-gatherer, an overworked father, and a pompous wealthy man, Friedel falls asleep in the snow before two compassionate children discover him and welcome him in, treating him as the holy Christ-Child. In Toinette and the Elves, a dreamy and impatient girl receives magical fern seed from elves that renders her invisible on Christmas Eve. Upon listening to her family, she is heartbroken to discover her siblings view her as harsh and nagging. Horrified by her own conduct, she spends the following year cultivating patience and gentleness, leading to a joyful reunion with her elf friends when they return.

In Tom's Plan, a boy frets over a threat that Santa Claus will leave a whip in his stocking for taking a bite of pie. To test whether Santa is truly kind or punitive, Tom resolves to act as cross as possible, only to discover the joy of holiday generosity. The domestic scenes continue in The Birds' Christmas Carol adaptation and street-side plays where children like Dick and Dot long for larger families or imagine living in orphanages to enjoy grander holiday celebrations, while poor newsboys like Jim count pennies to buy humble toys for their loved ones.

Historical and folklore settings broaden the collection's scope. The Spell of Christmas takes place in a Cavalier manor during the English Civil War, where a family decorates for the holiday amidst deep political division. When Roundhead soldiers arrive seeking the son, Rufus, the estranged family must set aside past grievances and unite to conceal him. In another historical play, Puritan children secretly light a Christmas tree, wrestling with fear and wonder as they taste forbidden holiday festivities. The Babushka dramatizes the traditional Eastern European tale of an old woman who hesitates when the Three Kings pass her cottage on their way to Bethlehem, leaving her to search forever after for the holy child.

In The Christmas Brownies and circus-themed playlets, traveling performers and unruly acrobats argue under the strict rule of their manager, Mr. Pepper, until the spirit of the season and a simple decorated tree soften their tempers and unite them as friends. In Minty-Malviny, a young child learns that truthfulness brings far greater rewards than pretense when facing Santa's gifts. The book concludes with The Toy Shop, where two young girls, Tibbie and Sally, stand before a shop window filled with fifty distinct dolls, enthusiastically picking out their favorites in a game of pretend, celebrating pure imagination over possession.

How It Unfolds

A cold wanderer rejected Friedel wanders the snowy woods seeking shelter, but a bitter old woman, a overwhelmed father, and the pompous Rich Johann turn him away due to his rags and poverty.

The invisible lesson Toinette uses magical elf seed to turn invisible, only to overhear her brothers and sisters complaining about her constant scolding, prompting her to change her behavior over the coming year.

Testing Santa Claus Tom worries he will receive a whip in his stocking for misbehaving, so he devises a plan to act cross to see if Santa is truly merciful.

A household under siege During the English Civil War, Sir Gilbert Underhill's estranged son Rufus returns home pursued by Roundhead soldiers, forcing the family to protect him despite their past quarrels.

Puritan children discover a tree Myles and Roger secretly carry a decorated evergreen into their home, where their mother and siblings light candles in secret to celebrate Christmas.

A circus reunited Tired circus performers complain bitterly about their harsh boss and terrible conditions until a small Christmas tree and the holiday spirit bring peace to the troupe.

Window shopping with dolls Tibbie and Sally stand outside a store counter, choosing among dozens of imaginary paper dolls to build elaborate fantasy lives.

The People

• Friedel: A poor, lost boy wandering in the snow; he wants shelter from the freezing cold and ultimately finds acceptance with two charitable children.
• Toinette: A dreamy, impatient older sister; she wants to be left alone, but after learning her siblings find her nagging, she works hard to become kind and patient.
• Tom: An inquisitive young boy; he wants to discover whether Santa Claus punishes naughty children or shows mercy, prompting him to run a deliberate experiment with his own behavior.
• Sir Gilbert Underhill: A stern Cavalier patriarch; he wants to maintain family honor and authority, but when Roundhead troops arrive, he sets aside his anger to shield his fugitive son, Rufus.
• Rufus: A young man under a political cloud; he seeks his father's forgiveness and shelter from pursuing soldiers, emerging reconciled with his family.
• Rich Johann: A proud, wealthy merchant; he wants to maintain his high social standing and refuses to let a boy in rags work in his grand house.

In Its Own Voice

"When he crope down dat chimbly, an' sot he eyes on me de fust time, he knowed I wa'n't no white chile."

Minty-Malviny explains to the children how she admitted her true identity to Santa Claus instead of pretending to be someone else.

"I'd rather be cold than get scolded all the time."

Marc complains to his brother after Toinette snaps at them for scattering wood chips across her freshly swept floor.

"No maitter how shtrict you goes for to be, you cain't kills Christmas!"

Dutch reflects happily after the grumpy circus manager softens and the performers celebrate around a little tree.

What It's Really About

At its core, the collection argues that Christmas is an interior state of empathy, charity, and togetherness rather than a simple display of material gifts. Across every scenario—whether among Puritans, circus performers, or aristocratic Cavaliers—the scripts suggest that true holiday spirit requires individuals to abandon pride, overcome pettiness, and forgive family members. The plays emphasize hospitality toward strangers and honesty in children, showing that even small acts of generosity or candor can transform a bitter household or a cold winter night into a place of warmth.

Why Read It Today

This collection appeals to theater historians, directors of children's pageants, and readers interested in early twentieth-century American domestic culture. The writing carries a sweet, nostalgic charm, capturing how previous generations taught moral values to children through amateur dramatics. The scripts are straightforward and accessible, offering a clear glimpse into historical staging practices, complete with original costuming notes, traditional carols, and prop lists.

Modern readers should note that the text reflects period attitudes and stereotypical language. Several plays feature heavy phonetic dialects—including stage-Irish, European immigrant accents, and nineteenth-century racial depictions like Minty-Malviny's dialogue—that readers today will recognize as dated stereotypes. Additionally, the morality can feel didactic to modern tastes. Yet, for those interested in vintage youth drama or historical Christmas pageantry, the volume remains a precise and genuine record of popular theatrical traditions from a bygone era.