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Today is Day # 1408! To look at the other 1407 titles - click here
Today is Day # 1408! To look at the other 1407 titles - click here
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Monologue Mania Day # 1408 The Christmas of the Ribbon Tree by Janet S. Tiger (c) Dec. 22 , 2017
The Christmas of the Ribbon Tree
by Janet S. Tiger
© 2015 all rights reserved
tigerteam1@gmail.com
(This piece is designed for the Christmas holiday season and will work well if there is a tree for the actor to work with, decorating throughout the monologue. The actor enters, looking at the tree with awe, approaching with reverence and a box of ornaments, removing one of the ornaments and placing it on a branch)
That looks......perfect.
(Turns to the audience and smiles, offering an ornament)
Want to help? I'm happy to have some help.....put this anywhere you like......that's good! Good spot!
I'm sorry you won't be here for the big day, but this is almost as good, because it's fun just having you here alone, before the excitement.....And.don't worry, we won't miss the plane.....
(Taking out more decorations)
It's funny.....all the ornaments.....the tree.....I love it and yet.....for me, my favorite tree had none of these......
(Listens, laughs)
No, I suppose I never mentioned it...but when I was a little kid, right after my father died and we had to move because my mom got a job....to a town where we didn't know anyone. But it didn't pay much, so.....it was a very tough year.
Her first paycheck wasn't coming until the last day of December, so there was nothing.....no presents and not even a tree.....it was, in a word, depressing!
We went to school the morning of the 24th, which was a Friday, and at school there was a party, so at least we had some cookies, but it was horrible coming back to no presents, not even a tree.....we trudged home, the taste of the party turning sour as we walked in the snow, and we went slower and slower as we got closer to the apartment house........
(Slowly moving through the audience, head bowed)
And then we climbed the stairs.......and opened the door ......
(Back onstage, facing the audience, with an expression of wonder)
There it was! A Christmas tree! The most amazing tree we'd ever seen! Only there were no needles, because it was a tree unlike any other!
You see, my mother had come home from work, able to do so because the diner had closed early for Christmas Eve! And there had been a party at the diner, the owners had given out some small gifts and she had taken all the ribbons left over from all the presents, and had taped them onto our wall ....and she'd done it in the shape of a Christmas tree! She had taken some candles and put them around.......and......we ate some of the cake she brought home.
It was .....(getting teary)......incredible because she had captured the shape perfectly. With the lights turned off, and the candles......it was better than a real tree!
And....while we were singing carols and talking about the presents we would get .....next year, there was a knock at the door, and when Mom opened it, there were three of the other waitresses.....they had seen Mom taking the ribbons and they knew it was a hard Christmas, and they had brought us presents.......all wrapped......things we could not really use .....no mittens, no socks.....just pretty things and funny things and things we never would have bought for ourselves, like fancy bookmarks and coasters from Japan and ......a camera......a camera so we could take a picture of the first Christmas in our new home.
And so we did......
(Takes a photo out of a pocket and holds it out)
There we are, me and your aunts and uncles, and your grandmother with that silly expression on her face.......and the ribbon tree......
It's yours now......wherever you go, whatever battle you're in, I hope you can hold all that love close to your heart......
(Turns to leave, stops, looks back)
And please, there's one more thing.....
(Takes something from pocket, hands it over)
...take it......it's one of the ribbons from that tree.....to bring you home safe.......and wherever you are.....have a Merry Christmas!
(Exits...wishing all a Merry Christmas, and thanking my friend who actually made the ribbon tree)
© 2015 all rights reserved
tigerteam1@gmail.com
(This piece is designed for the Christmas holiday season and will work well if there is a tree for the actor to work with, decorating throughout the monologue. The actor enters, looking at the tree with awe, approaching with reverence and a box of ornaments, removing one of the ornaments and placing it on a branch)
That looks......perfect.
(Turns to the audience and smiles, offering an ornament)
Want to help? I'm happy to have some help.....put this anywhere you like......that's good! Good spot!
I'm sorry you won't be here for the big day, but this is almost as good, because it's fun just having you here alone, before the excitement.....And.don't worry, we won't miss the plane.....
(Taking out more decorations)
It's funny.....all the ornaments.....the tree.....I love it and yet.....for me, my favorite tree had none of these......
(Listens, laughs)
No, I suppose I never mentioned it...but when I was a little kid, right after my father died and we had to move because my mom got a job....to a town where we didn't know anyone. But it didn't pay much, so.....it was a very tough year.
Her first paycheck wasn't coming until the last day of December, so there was nothing.....no presents and not even a tree.....it was, in a word, depressing!
We went to school the morning of the 24th, which was a Friday, and at school there was a party, so at least we had some cookies, but it was horrible coming back to no presents, not even a tree.....we trudged home, the taste of the party turning sour as we walked in the snow, and we went slower and slower as we got closer to the apartment house........
(Slowly moving through the audience, head bowed)
And then we climbed the stairs.......and opened the door ......
(Back onstage, facing the audience, with an expression of wonder)
There it was! A Christmas tree! The most amazing tree we'd ever seen! Only there were no needles, because it was a tree unlike any other!
You see, my mother had come home from work, able to do so because the diner had closed early for Christmas Eve! And there had been a party at the diner, the owners had given out some small gifts and she had taken all the ribbons left over from all the presents, and had taped them onto our wall ....and she'd done it in the shape of a Christmas tree! She had taken some candles and put them around.......and......we ate some of the cake she brought home.
It was .....(getting teary)......incredible because she had captured the shape perfectly. With the lights turned off, and the candles......it was better than a real tree!
And....while we were singing carols and talking about the presents we would get .....next year, there was a knock at the door, and when Mom opened it, there were three of the other waitresses.....they had seen Mom taking the ribbons and they knew it was a hard Christmas, and they had brought us presents.......all wrapped......things we could not really use .....no mittens, no socks.....just pretty things and funny things and things we never would have bought for ourselves, like fancy bookmarks and coasters from Japan and ......a camera......a camera so we could take a picture of the first Christmas in our new home.
And so we did......
(Takes a photo out of a pocket and holds it out)
There we are, me and your aunts and uncles, and your grandmother with that silly expression on her face.......and the ribbon tree......
It's yours now......wherever you go, whatever battle you're in, I hope you can hold all that love close to your heart......
(Turns to leave, stops, looks back)
And please, there's one more thing.....
(Takes something from pocket, hands it over)
...take it......it's one of the ribbons from that tree.....to bring you home safe.......and wherever you are.....have a Merry Christmas!
(Exits...wishing all a Merry Christmas, and thanking my friend who actually made the ribbon tree)
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* Note: A few words about 'free' - all these monologues are protected under copyright law and are free to read, free to perform and video as long as no money is charged. Once you charge admission or a donation, or include my work in an anthology, you need to contact me for royalty
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Janet S. Tiger 858-736-6315 CaregiversAnon.org
Member Dramatists Guild since 1983
Playwright-in-Residence
Swedenborg Hall 2006-8
Swedenborg Hall 2006-8
1 comment:
You made me cry! I love this: ...wherever you go, whatever battle you're in, I hope you can hold all that love close to your heart......
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