When the angels had departed, the head shepherd said, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." While the congregation sang The First Nowell, the shepherds and their sheep walked down from the hills and into the town. There they found the stable where Jesus slept.

The head sheep thought the baby looked a little chilly in his swaddling clothes, so he looked up at his shepherd and said, "Baaaaaaaby." Fortunately the shepherd understood what he meant, took out his scissors, and soon some of the sheep's fleecy wool was covering the sleeping boy.

In the meantime other visitors were starting their long journey to find this child.

I am a camel, and my home is far to the east where the wise ones seek signs from the stars and prophecies from the scriptures. For many years they have waited for the star that would tell the coming of the king. Finally they have seen it rising. The wise ones want to find the king and worship him. They pack their bags with precious gifts for the child, then sit high on our humps for the trip across the deserts, passing field and fountain, moor and mountain on our long journey.

We saw that the star had stopped over Bethlehem! We hurried there. You'd be surprised how quickly a few camels – when they're carrying all that heavy gold and other gifts – can get moving!

We had been looking for a king, but we found Jesus in a simple stable, with donkeys and cows around him. Still, the wise ones knew this was the boy we had been seeking. This was the Messiah. From my saddlebags, they took out gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and gave them to him. Those were the gifts of the wise ones. But you know, we animals brought Jesus our gifts as well!

"I," said the donkey, shaggy and brown, "I carried your mother uphill and down."

"I," said the cow, all white and red. "I gave you my manger for your bed."

"I said the sheep with curly horn, "I gave you my wool for a blanket warm."

"I," said the camel, a hump-backed beast, "I carried the Wise Ones from the East."

The animals are not the only ones who have gifts to bring to the Christ child. Even People can come and adore the newborn king. You can give him the gift of your love and faithfulness. And you don't need to have lived 2000 years ago to come to Bethlehem. O come all you faithful! Come in adoration. Christ is Lord.

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  – through you and me!