This Christmas

A Christmas Wake-Up Call

Opening Moments

No formal welcome—just a living-room clash. Daniel stumbles on his wrapped camera, Dad explodes, and Mom stands in the middle trying to keep the season intact. The night feels anything but “Merry Christmas.”

Testimonies

Daniel (teen son)

• Key moments: Finds the hidden gift, is accused of “stealing his own Christmas present,” and blurts, “He hates me.”
• Heart cry: longs for the lost manger set his grandma made—“I’m the only one who thinks it’s a big deal.”
• Insight shared with Jesse: “Maybe if I could find that one thing then Christmas wouldn’t feel so messed up.”
• Turning point: After sneaking out to rescue Jesse from her drunken dad, he tells his own father, “I had to come.”

Dad / Robert

• Setting: 60-hour weeks, quick temper, growing distance from his son.
• Boiling point: “I work… and you don’t show one bit of gratitude!”
• Honest confession at the end: “I’ve been so empty for so long and so angry for so long. I don’t want to be like that anymore.”
• Peace offering: unpacks the recovered plaster nativity and asks Daniel to “do the honors.”

Mom

• Peacemaker role: urges Daniel to apologize, insists the family attend the church Christmas party, pleads, “Can you guys just try and get along… it’s Christmas.”

Jesse (Daniel’s friend)

• Hope-spark: reads Matthew 2 about the Magi; laughs, “Imagine if He was born today… I’d probably just wait for the DVD.”
• Faith move: texts God—“Please help my friend Daniel who has lost something important to him.”
• Crisis: calls Daniel, “My dad’s completely drunk… please come help me.”

Holy-Spirit Highlights

• Hidden gifts—both the camera and the dusty manger—surface the heart issues in the house.
• Scripture flashes: the Magi story (Matthew 2) reminds the teens that people can miss Jesus even when He’s “born in your backyard.”
• Small, simple prayers (“texting God”) become pivotal moments of rescue and reconciliation.
• Father-son forgiveness: “Maybe I could forgive you for being a punk, and you could forgive me for being a jerk.”

Prayer Points & Next Steps

• Healing for Robert’s anger and exhaustion.
• Continued sobriety and restoration for Jesse’s father.
• Fresh gratitude in the family—“a little respect” flowing both ways.
• Keeping Christ at the center: display the handmade nativity every year as a reminder.

Closing Blessing

“Oh come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.”