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Grate (sic) Expectations
Key Stage
3 and 4
Theme
Grate (sic) Expectations
Preparation
Gather a small group of students who enjoy performing this presentation. You might prefer to ask them to come up with their own versions of unacceptable gifts. Alternatively, pick'n'mix with the ones included here.
If you have a video camera, you could shoot the material and show it on TV instead of doing it live on a stage.
Development
Shoppers are strolling in the street.
A TV crew arrives and starts shooting. The reporter, with microphone in hand, starts talking into the camera lens.
REPORTER: Here we are in one of our busiest shopping streets. Let's talk to some of the shoppers here.
The reporter stops a shopper.
REPORTER: Would you like to say a few words for television?
SHOPPER 1: Yeah, okay.
REPORTER: What's the worst birthday present you ever received?
SHOPPER 1: Worst birthday present? I don't know (thinks) I asked for a bike. And that's what I got - a bike. Just a bike. I wanted a really special BMX that I'd seen in the shop window and I thought Mum had got the hint but - no! It was just a bike. I was really disappointed.
REPORTER: What did you say?
SHOPPER 1: Nothing.
REPORTER: Thank you.
The reporter moves on to interview another shopper.
REPORTER: What's the worst birthday present you ever received?
SHOPPER 2: Aaaw - it was awful! A pair of trainers - the wrong brand from the wrong shop with the wrong price tag on them!
REPORTER: What did you say?
SHOPPER 2: I refused to wear them.
REPORTER: Thank you.
The reporter moves on to interview another shopper.
REPORTER: What's the worst birthday present you ever received?
SHOPPER 3: I knew I was getting a dolls' house from my Gran. I was so excited. I could see it in my imagination - four floors high and proper stairs and lovely little dolls' house furniture. I nearly died when Gran unwrapped it - it was one floor - I suppose you'd call it a bungalow - with only one room.
REPORTER: What did you say?
SPEAKER 3: I said "thanks" and gave her a big kiss. She didn't have much money and I knew she couldn't have afforded anything better. So I kissed her and gave her a big hug.
REPORTER: Thank you.
The reporter moves on to interview another shopper.
REPORTER: What's the worst birthday present you ever received?
SHOPPER 4: A CD from my Aunty Julia - Take That's Greatest Hits. She thought they were still Top of the Pops. She's got no idea, you know!
REPORTER: What did you say?
SHOPPER 4: I said thanks - just what I wanted. But I got rid of it as fast as I could. Gave it away to someone who was having a jumble sale.
REPORTER: Thanks.
The reporter moves off to interview another shopper.
REPORTER: What's the worst birthday present you ever received?
SHOPPER 5: (Thinks) Nothing.
REPORTER: Nothing?
SHOPPER 5: My Dad forgot it was my birthday, so he didn't get me anything - nothing.
REPORTER: What did you say?
SHOPPER 5: Nothing. He wasn't there.
REPORTER: Thank you.
The reporter moves off to interview another shopper.
REPORTER: What's the worst birthday present you ever received?
SHOPPER 6: I told them straight away! I said "As soon as you've had some cake you're all going home - and if you think there'll be party games, you can forget it!"
REPORTER: Thank you.
The reporter moves on. Shopper 1 moves in and approaches the reporter.
SHOPPER 1: I've just thought of another really terrible present I got once. Do you want to hear about it?
REPORTER: Tell the viewers.
SHOPPER 1: My brother gave me a toy petrol station. He had made it out of cardboard and stuff and the petrol pumps were made of upside-down tictac boxes.
REPORTER: How old is your brother?
SHOPPER 1: He would've been about seven then - two years older than me.
REPORTER: So you were five and he was seven?
SHOPPER 1: Yeah.
REPORTER: And why was that a bad present?
SHOPPER 1: It fell apart after about two minutes - totally stupid. But - you know something? I really loved that petrol station - well - for two minutes anyway. So it was the worst present ever and the best one, too. Just because he'd made it himself - for me - I suppose. Funny that.
REPORTER: Thank you.
The reporter speaks directly to camera as Shopper 1 moves off.
REPORTER: We've heard from one or two happy people but lots of disappointed ones. Great expectations but lousy results. Do we all expect too much? They say we live in a consumerist society where the only things we really rate highly are tangible consumer goods. Do you think that's true? And now I hand you back to the studio.
The reporter and camera crew disappear leaving the stage empty.
Reflection
We all want things. There's nothing wrong or unusual in that, but sometimes what we get is not exactly what we anticipated. People often say 'It's the thought that counts' - but do we always really believe it? We feel, understandably, disappointed. And that's the time when we need to keep things in proportion (even those of us who have least in this school have much more than many people elsewhere in the world).
Jesus reminded us that life is a gift, and that life - and the created world - is more valuable than anything we can buy or make for ourselves. It is a gift for everyone.
In a moment of quiet, let us think of one thing that we have, that makes us happy. It may not be something we own - it could be a smile someone gave us, or the fact that we are healthy. It could be someone we love.
And then, instead of feeling disappointed at what we do not have, let's enjoy being grateful for what is ours. We may not be able to choose what we are given - but we can choose what we do with the gift.