On Christmas Eve morning, Lena Nowak worries if she has been good enough to receive gifts from St. Nicholas. The 11-year-old girl in Bolków, Poland wonders if she had fibbed too much or not worked hard enough in school. At last minute, she decides to put on a King Herod Play for St. Nicholas and his angel helper. All day, Lena works to make hand puppets for all the characters of the traditional King Herod Play, a Christmas folk play. Although her grandmother is always in charge of the King Herod Play, she tells her mother that she wants to put on the play with her puppets in case St. Nicholas comes in person. She polished her shoes to leave them by the Christmas tree with high hopes for gifts. Then, all day, Lena works on painting and gluing puppets. She starts with the wicked King Herod, who caused the killing of boy infants in Bethlehem when he heard that a child would be born as Messiah. Other characters in the play include Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, an angel, a soldier, a village man and his wife, a cavalryman with his horse, a Field Marshal, the Devil, Death, and gravediggers.
As Lena’s father watches her make a small stage in their house, she jokes with her father that “the Herods are coming tonight.” He sets up chairs for everyone in the family, so they can enjoy her play after Wigilia, the Polish Christmas Eve dinner with twelve dishes to commemorate the Twelve Apostles. As she runs out of glue, there is no way to get more from the store on Christmas Eve. Her mom tells her not to worry, but it’s only glue and that St. Nicholas will love her puppets anyhow. She does the best she can and tries to use honey and icing to finish her puppets. Then, her family, friends, and neighbors gather for the Christmas celebration. By the time Christmas Eve dinner is finished, there is a sudden knock on the door, and the children cheer: “He has come!”
St. Nicholas walks past everyone else in the home straight to Lena with his filled sack. His angel helper with wings and golden robe stands by the door with more gifts. He waits for the perfect moment to give everyone their reward. Then, St. Nicholas hands Lena a new jar of glue, and she is elated. While Nicholas hands out the rest of the gifts, he tells Lena that she can finish her puppets, so that they can enjoy her production. She throws her arms around him with a hug. By the time everyone else has received their gifts, Lena has finished gluing the last touches of her puppets and stage. She invites St. Nicholas to sit in the front with his angel. The tenderness of the Christmas drama from the heart of the child warms everyone in the room, including St. Nick. St. Nicholas promises to return for her upcoming plays. Until next time, Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Merry Christmas!
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