For centuries, Christians have prayed special verses called “Oh Antiphons” during the week before Christmas. Each verse begins with the word Oh and uses images from the Jewish Testament to ask God to come into our midst as “Emmanuel,” God-with-us. Tessa Bielecki beautifully introduces the context for the antiphons here and presents the antiphons here in a form that can be prayed either alone or with others.
My own idiosyncratic take on the antiphons, using animal images for Christ, grew out of my “Christian Bestiary” reflections. You may want to write your own antiphons as part of your preparation for Christmas. What images would you choose?
O SWALLOW, winter ends when you come carelessly capering from heaven and build your nest beneath our eaves. Come, bird from paradise; though you be small and powerless, you are the invincible Phoenix. 
O mighty RAM, enthroned atop Mt. Zion, guide us to your dwelling. By your strength we strive and by your blood we conquer dragons. Come, O victim-victor, bridegroom-ram, thou who art the great I AM. 
O SALMON, leap like lightning from the womb, burst above cascades of chaos, climb love’s deadly ladder; sow your blood and burning water at the ancient source of all our sorrow. Drowning, you destroy our death, leaping, you lead us to life. O ICHTHYS, come in glory. 
O Divine EAGLE, come and hover over us, your brood, who pierced the only pinions that can bear us up from death and sin to sun and everlasting love. 
O sovereign STAG, to you our lovelorn cries arise like arrows. Love immortally wounded, save us. We are banished, barren, and snared. Climb down to free us, lead us home to headwaters, crags, and columbines. 
O LION of Judah, King of courage, come to crush our blighted bones and hardened hearts and with one roar restore your stillborn whelps to everlasting life. 
O UNICORN, feral, fierce, brave-hearted Lord, yet tender, soft, surrendered lover: pierce and purify us. Come, fleet steed of starlight, Prince of Dreams, Horn of Plenty, ever ancient, ever fresh, milk-white moonlight word-made-flesh. I created the black and white pen and ink drawings long ago when I was a young monk and had more time for art.
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