During Advent, the Jesse Tree Helps Children Prepare for Christmas

Advent is the season in the Christian faith where preparations are made for the birth of Christ. One popular tradition is to make or buy an advent wreath, but there is a lesser known tradition which prepares Christians for Christ’s arrival: the Jesse Tree. The iconic representation of the Jesse Tree is taken from the Bible, in Isaiah 11, “The royal line of David is like a tree that has been cut down; but just as new branches sprout from a stump, so a new king will arise from among David’s descendants.” So Christians decorate trees named for King David’s father, Jesse, with twenty-eight different ornaments that symbolize promises from God or milestones in the faith. Typically one ornament is placed on the tree for each day of Advent, but Advent can range from twenty-one to twenty-eight days depending on the year, so adjustments must be made to how many ornaments are placed on the branches each day. The ornaments are placed on the tree chronologically from creation through the birth of Christ, and they also are placed from the bottom of the tree to the top, so Christ is alone at the top of the tree on Christmas day. In homes where there isn’t room for a real tree, a small branch can be used. Sometimes even a drawing of a tree is used and the ornaments are glued or taped on. Children love to color their trees and ornaments before hanging them, and if the ornaments are colored daily, it provides a good opportunity for parents to discuss with them the symbolism behind the pictures. 

The first ornament symbolizes the creation of the world. The typical representation is the globe, or the earth. Parents should read Genesis 1:26-31 and discuss God’s creation of the world and everything in it. 

The second ornament symbolizes Adam and Eve. The typical representation is an apple, or sometimes an apple with a snake. Parents should read Genesis 3:1-7 and discuss God giving Adam and Eve the ability to choose between good and evil, and our ultimate banishment from the Garden of Eden.