This is written, sung and painted as a joyous celebration of  the birth of Jesus. The Angels, the Shepherds, the Wise Men, the Children and the Animals all come into the manger to wish the baby Happy Birthday. And all the animals come: not only the Lamb and the Donkey and the clay birds, but also, as the pictures show, the camels, the squirrels, the toucan, the owl, bluebirds, all manner of cats and dogs, two dancing mice,  and still more to find…

The birth of any child is a miracle, and this particular miracle of birth has become for many a symbol of transformation, for this is the child who will grow up to embody and teach the gift of Love. The wonderful bells of the great cathedrals of medieval Europe resound at the beginning and at the end: the six bells of Chartres Cathedral in France, the eight bells of St Antonio of Padua in Italy (all tuned in the scale of C major), and the seven bells from Salzburg in Austria. The booming of the bells summon us to an ecstatic festival, and call us all to participate in a vibrant pageant of joy.