Enough tinsel and trappings; it's really about this:

[redundantagain]

O Magnum mysterium,
et admirabile sacramentum,
ut animalia viderunt
Dominum natum,
jacentem in praesepio.
Noe.

O great mystery,
and wondrous sacrament,
that animals should see
the new-born Lord
lying in their manger.
He is born.

(are the animals supposed to be us?)