I love traditions...you know the things that you do from year to year. Traditions have a way of grounding you. In our family, they seem to be the things that the kids always remember as special. We have several different traditions in our house. Some are ones we've been doing a long time, like exchanging Christmas ornaments on Christmas Eve - just my guy and me. Other traditions are a bit newer, like reading a Christmas story together during the month of December. This year's book is KEEPING HOLIDAY. 
We've started a new tradition (for us) this year and that's our Jesse Tree. A Jesse Tree is actually an advent activity where every night we read a Bible selection. The Bible selection has an ornament that corresponds to it. After we read the scripture selection for the night and talk about it with the questions provided, the kids then hang the ornament on the Jesse Tree. (Our tree is actually a garland that I picked up for 2.99.) The name 'Jesse Tree' comes from Isaiah 11:1 "A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit."
That verse actually begins the Advent season. We started with the Robbs on December 1st. It's been a great investment as the kids are getting glimpses of Jesus all the way through the Bible. I know we're already into the advent season, but this is something that I think you could easily pick up anywhere along the way. Don't let the fact that December is already underway stop you. Each scripture stands on it's own so you could really get started anywhere. If you're interested you can look here, for a free resource. You can look here for the ornament patterns. 
This year the kids just colored the patterns with colored pencils and then mounted them on black card stock. I attached a red ribbon to each one for hanging. For next year, there's already talk of making the ornaments out of felt. (we'll see) 
Do you do any advent activities for yourself or with your family? If so, share what you're doing in the comments...I'd love to hear from you.
We've started a new tradition (for us) this year and that's our Jesse Tree. A Jesse Tree is actually an advent activity where every night we read a Bible selection. The Bible selection has an ornament that corresponds to it. After we read the scripture selection for the night and talk about it with the questions provided, the kids then hang the ornament on the Jesse Tree. (Our tree is actually a garland that I picked up for 2.99.) The name 'Jesse Tree' comes from Isaiah 11:1 "A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit." That verse actually begins the Advent season. We started with the Robbs on December 1st. It's been a great investment as the kids are getting glimpses of Jesus all the way through the Bible. I know we're already into the advent season, but this is something that I think you could easily pick up anywhere along the way. Don't let the fact that December is already underway stop you. Each scripture stands on it's own so you could really get started anywhere. If you're interested you can look here, for a free resource. You can look here for the ornament patterns. This year the kids just colored the patterns with colored pencils and then mounted them on black card stock. I attached a red ribbon to each one for hanging. For next year, there's already talk of making the ornaments out of felt. (we'll see) Do you do any advent activities for yourself or with your family? If so, share what you're doing in the comments...I'd love to hear from you.
5 comments:
Thanks for posting this and especially the encouragement to just jump in. I had all the best intentions of having a Jesse Tree with my little ones this year but was swamped with work deadlines and family issues in late November when I thought I "should" be getting ready and felt like I blew it. But yours looks beautiful and I am encouraged anew. Thanks and blessings to you!
your jesse tree ornaments are great! what a great idea to back them all in black-it really shows off the pictures. we'll be holiday crafting this weekend-thanks for the inspiration!!
This is the second friend who has made the Jesse Tree and prior to this year I had never heard of it.
as you can imagine, we have several traditions in the robb household. an annual evening drive to look at Christmas lights, handmade wooden Christmas ornaments for my boys and my niece and nephew (and a special someone every now and then who this year might have happened to be a UNC fan), celebration of advent with a special ornament set from wendell august forge, a long road trip to spend Christmas with family, and new Christmas pj's on Christmas eve. and, oh yes, every two years spending a few treasured days on the way home from a MD thanksgiving with the best friends anyone could ask for!
I've never heard of this. It sounds like a fun and interesting tradition.
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