I know I said that there would be no more posts. However, today is the first day of Yule, and I worked on this earlier in the year, so I felt it would be appropriate to share it. Yule blessings to you all. What follows is a play I wrote for young children to enact, in a similar way to a nativity would be for Christians. So, enjoy!

—

Title: The First Yule

Characters:

Narrator – Guides the story.

Eira – A curious child of the village.

Bjorn – Eira’s older brother.

Mother Alva – Village elder.

Sunne – Bright, warm character.

Mōna – Calm, silvery character.

Wōden – Playful, mysterious, chilly.

Deer, Bear, Owl, Fox – Forest animals.

Villagers – Group ensemble.

—

Scene 1 – The Longest Night

(Stage: dim lighting, fake snow falling, villagers huddled by a small fire.)

Narrator:
Long ago, in a land of frost and forests, came a night longer than all the others. Sunne had gone to rest, and the people waited for her return.

Eira:
Bjorn, do you think Sunne will ever come back?

Bjorn:
She always has… but this night feels colder.

Mother Alva:
Children, gather close. The longest night is here. We must keep the fire alive until dawn, so that Sunne knows we are waiting.

—

Song 1 – “Keep the Fire Bright” (Gentle, swaying rhythm)

Verse 1:
Keep the fire bright tonight,
In the darkness, hold the light.
Round the circle, hearts will glow,
Through the falling, silent snow.

Verse 2:
When the wind is cold and near,
Hold each other, banish fear.
Every spark that warms the air
Sends a message: we still care.

Chorus:
Keep the fire bright, keep the fire warm,
Through the longest night, through the winter storm.
Every flame we guard will show the way,
Until golden Sunne returns one day.

—

Narrator:
And so they kept watch. But the night seemed endless… until a voice called from the shadows.

—

Scene 2 – The Visitors

(Wōden enters, swirling in white scarves with a bushy white beard and a white eye-patch.)

Wōden:
Why do you wait, little ones? Sunne has traveled far away. She may not return unless you call her.

Eira:
How do we call Sunne?

Wōden:
You must remind her why the world needs light — with gifts, songs, and joy.

(Mōna enters, silver light follows.)

Mōna:
I can help you travel to find my sister, Sunne. But you must bring something from your world to show her she is loved.

—

Song 2 – “Bring a Gift for Sunne” (Bright, bouncy tune)

Verse 1:
Bring Sunne a gift for her to keep,
Through the nights when days are deep.
Something warm and something true,
To guide the morning’s golden hue.

Verse 2:
Gifts of love and gifts of cheer,
Things to keep the sunlight near.
Carry hope through frosty skies,
Till the golden dawn will rise.

Chorus:
Bring Sunne a gift, sing it loud and clear,
Let the warmth return, let the day be near.
With a song and smile, we will make her stay,
Till the winter night turns to golden day.

—

Narrator:
The villagers agreed. Eira and Bjorn would go, guided by Mōna and Wōden.

—

Scene 3 – The Journey

Narrator: Mōna shone his silvery light upon the dark forest and Eira and Bjorn saw an entrance through the trees leading into the heart of the forest. Wōden blew hard, shaking the frost free of the leaves and made the path safe to travel.

(Forest backdrop. Deer, Bear, Owl, and Fox enter.)

Eira:
We need gifts to bring Sunne back to us. Can you help us?

Deer:
Take my antler bell — it will ring with joy.

Bear:
Take my honeycomb — it will taste of summer.

Owl:
Take my feather — it will remind Sunne of wisdom.

Fox:
Take my berries — red as fire.

Bjorn:
Thank you, friends. These will show Sunne why the world misses her so.

—

Scene 4 – Meeting Sunne

Narrator:
As the children collect their gifts, they travel deep into the forest, finding themselves at the very heart of winter. As snow swirls about them, they call out to Sunne in desperation!

All: Sunne! Sunne! (Invite the audience to join in)

(Golden light fills the stage. Sunne enters. The snow and wind recedes.)

Sunne:
Who comes to my resting place?

Eira:
We are from the village. The night is long and cold. We bring gifts so you’ll know how much you are needed.

(They present the gifts.)

Sunne:
A bell for joy, honey for summer, a feather for wisdom, berries for fire! Your gifts warm me! But what warms me most… is your love.

—

Song 3 – “Come Back, Sunne” (Cheerful, hopeful tune)

Verse 1:
Come back, Sunne, across the sky,
Wake the streams and fields nearby.
Shine on forests, warm the snow,
Help the sleeping seedlings grow.

Verse 2:
Every heart is waiting here,
Through the frost, we keep you near.
We will sing until you rise,
Golden reflections in our eyes.

Chorus:
Come back, Sunne, come back and stay,
Chase the longest night away.
Fill the earth with warmth and cheer,
Till we greet another year.

—

Sunne:
I will return, but only if you promise to remember this night each year with fire, feasting, and songs.

Bjorn:
We promise.

(Bjorn and Eira return through the forest as Sunne smiles happily, feeling loved)

—

Scene 5 – The First Yule

(Stage returns to the village. Fire large, villagers dancing.)

Narrator:
And so Sunne rose the next morning, and the people named the night before it Yule, the night they welcomed the light back into the world. All around their homes they found small gifts in twinkling, brightly wrapped boxes.

Wōden, now dressed in greens and browns as Father Yule:
I bring you all gifts to remind you to remember to seek out the light in the deepest of winter, for light brings hope and that may never be defeated!

Mother Alva:
From this day, every year, we will light the Yule fire, sing the Yule songs, and share food and joy, to call Sunne home.

—

Song 4 – “Yule is Here” (Festive, clapping beat)

Verse 1:
Yule is here, the fire’s aglow,
Laughter rings through frost and snow.
Friends and family gather near,
Sharing warmth through all the year.

Verse 2:
Tables full and hearts so light,
Candles dancing through the night.
Voices join in songs so clear,
Welcoming the sunlight here.

Chorus:
Yule is here, oh Yule is here,
The season’s joy is bright and clear.
Raise your voices, all will cheer,
For golden Sunne and the turning year!

—

Narrator:
And that is how Yule began — not just as a festival of light, but as a promise to keep hope alive through the darkest night.

All Together:
Happy Yule!

(Lights fade, firelight glows, soft snow falls.)

— End —