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    See More:   Adult crafts Christianity Crafts & Hobbies Holidays & Celebrations Parenting

    Last Modified: Jul 29, 2020 by Tara Ziegmont 31 Comments

    How to Make a Jesse Tree

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    Note: After publishing this post, I wrote and shared a complete Jesse Tree ebook.

    As part of our simplified Christmas, Joe, Grace, and I have been decorating a Jesse tree.

    Our Jesse Tree

    Jesse TreePin

    How We Use the Jesse Tree Each Night

    As I explained in my earlier post, the Jesse tree has become part of our nightly ritual. Each evening, before dinner, Grace helps me to light the candles in our Advent Wreath. We eat, and then Grace opens her Advent box.

    jesse tree boxPin

    Grace picked this box at the craft store a few weeks ago. There were several different styles, but she wanted the one that had a family on the top. It has a Momma, a Daddy, and a baby gingerbread man.

    The baby gingerbread man doesn't have a coat, and this distresses Gracie Anna.

    Each night, Santa puts the next day's ornament and devotional into the box, along with three Dove Peppermint Bark candies.

    Advent box for Jesse treePin

    When Grace opens her box, she distributes the candy to me and to Joe. She's never tried to keep it all for herself, a fact I find astounding. I struggle with sharing candy even today, and my 2-year-old passes it out like no big deal.

    Anyway, after Grace passes out the candy, she gives Joe the ornament (and tells him where to hang it on the tree) and gives me the notebook. I read our Bible story from either our children's Study Bible or from my Bible (depending on whether the story is in the children's Bible or not, and whether the story in the children's Bible conveys the message that we want).

    We say a prayer, eat our candy, and Grace blows out the candles.

    Our Jesse Tree Ornaments

    I made all of our Jesse tree ornaments. It's been a job, and I'm still not finished.

    Nonetheless, I am happy with my obviously homemade and slightly kitschy felt-and-glitter ornaments. Here are the ones I've finished so far (in no particular order):

    Jesse Tree EarthPin

    Creation - Earth ornament

    Noah and the Flood - Ark & Rainbow ornamentPin

    Noah and the Flood - Ark & Rainbow ornament

    Joseph - The Coat of Many Colors ornamentPin

    Joseph - The Coat of Many Colors ornament

    Isaac - Ram ornamentPin

    Isaac - Ram ornament

    Isaiah - Rose ornamentPin

    Isaiah - Rose ornament

    A felt Jesse tree ornament with a crownPin

    King David - Crown ornament

    Daniel - Lion ornamentPin

    Daniel - Lion ornament

    Hope - WatchtowerPin

    Hope - Watchtower

    Rahab - Rope ornamentPin

    Rahab - Rope ornament

    Ruth - Wheat ornamentPin

    Ruth - Wheat ornament

    Moses - 10 commandmentsPin

    Moses - 10 commandments

    Abraham - Ten & Camel ornamentPin

    Abraham - Ten & Camel ornament

    Sarah - Cradle ornamentPin

    Sarah - Cradle ornament

    Adam & Eve and the Forbidden Fruit - Serpent ornamentPin

    Adam & Eve and the Forbidden Fruit - Serpent ornament

    Jacob - Ladder ornamentPin

    Jacob - Ladder ornament

    Samuel - Horn of oil ornamentPin

    Samuel - Horn of oil ornament

    Jess - Tree stump ornamentPin

    Jess - Tree stump ornament

    Obviously, my photos are in various states of completion, but I have, at this point, completed a full set of 32 ornaments. I love them, and I know that they are a wonderful heirloom that I'll be able to pass down to one of my kids someday. They may not be the most artistic ornaments (they are limited by my art skills, after all), but I am pleased with them and I'm thrilled to be hanging them on the tree every night with my babes.

    Jess Tree Resources Around the Internet

    • Rocks in My Dryer used real items to make her ornaments (not felt like I did). Photos of her ornaments.
    • Tired, Need Sleep has a great Jesse tree PDF that I used to create most of my ornaments.
    • Almost all of the sketched Jess tree ornaments I've seen are based on sketches from the Reformed Church of America. Their daily Jesse tree devotionals are the best I've seen.
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    1. amylynbishop says

      December 07, 2009 at 8:18 pm

      I love it! That is such a great tradition!

      Reply
    2. Kelli Miller says

      December 08, 2009 at 6:22 am

      This is a really neat idea! As a homeschooling mom, I am always looking for neat way to teach.. I can see us adapting this to fit our needs - maybe have the boys make their own ornaments, etc.

      Thanks so much for linking this at 5 Minutes for Mom so that I could come across it!

      Reply
    3. HeathersHodgepodge says

      December 08, 2009 at 6:44 am

      I think your ornaments look great! The ornaments for our Jesse Tree are homemade as well.

      Reply
    4. MamaHall says

      December 08, 2009 at 1:00 pm

      Your ornaments are so pretty! great job. And I love the routine your daughter has gotten into with the Jesse Tree. What a fun tradition!

      Reply
    5. Melissa says

      December 08, 2009 at 1:08 pm

      I've been thinking about making a Jesse tree, but we never seem to get around to it. Maybe next year!

      Reply
    6. pamelamkramer says

      December 08, 2009 at 11:58 am

      That is really cool! Happy Tackle.

      Reply
    7. Miss V says

      December 08, 2009 at 1:00 pm

      What a fun story! I love what you guys are doing, it's very special and great family time! Good job!

      Love the ornaments! You're very talented!

      Praying you and your family have a very Merry Christmas! 😉

      Reply
    8. Gina says

      December 08, 2009 at 6:39 pm

      These ornaments are great, we might have to (slowly) work on these for our Jesse tree. Thanks for sharing the other links too!

      Reply
    9. New England Girl says

      December 08, 2009 at 2:03 pm

      Those ornaments are amazing! They're so beautiful. =)

      Reply
    10. Angela says

      December 08, 2009 at 7:29 pm

      Your ornaments are great! I think you did a wonderful job, and more importantly you're teaching Grace some wonderful things.

      Reply
    11. FeelsLikeHomeBlog says

      December 08, 2009 at 5:20 pm

      Thank you very much 🙂

      Reply
    12. FeelsLikeHomeBlog says

      December 08, 2009 at 5:21 pm

      Start now. Or in January. The ornaments really have been time consuming. I've easily spent an hour on each one, so I'm really glad I started a few weeks ago.

      I still have a few to stitch and 6 or so to start.

      Reply
    13. FeelsLikeHomeBlog says

      December 08, 2009 at 5:22 pm

      Bless you, New England Girl! I'm not sure they're amazing, but I'll take lovely compliments any time!

      Reply
    14. FeelsLikeHomeBlog says

      December 08, 2009 at 5:24 pm

      You are very welcome. I have seen a lot of people who simply printed the ornament patterns and let the kids color them on paper. You could punch a hole and string the colored papers up on the tree with a ribbon loop. Wouldn't the kids love that? Then, you could put their ornaments away and let them look them over year after year. I think that's awesome!

      Reply
    15. FeelsLikeHomeBlog says

      December 08, 2009 at 5:25 pm

      Sometimes, I prefer store-bought and polished, but for this, I like the homemade look.

      Reply
    16. FeelsLikeHomeBlog says

      December 08, 2009 at 5:28 pm

      You are so welcome! It will take a long while to make the ornaments, so definitely start early.

      Reply
    17. FeelsLikeHomeBlog says

      December 08, 2009 at 5:28 pm

      Thank you! 🙂 Grace sometimes talks over the Bible reading or colors instead, but it's okay. She's still getting the idea and learning the habits.

      Reply
    18. FeelsLikeHomeBlog says

      December 08, 2009 at 5:28 pm

      Thank you! 🙂

      Reply
    19. FeelsLikeHomeBlog says

      December 08, 2009 at 5:29 pm

      Thank you! I don't know about talented, but it's working for us. 🙂 Merry Christmas!

      Reply
    20. mjroberson5 says

      December 08, 2009 at 7:22 pm

      What a very creative way to celebrate the Lord and His Word! Love it for this time of year!

      Reply
    21. Mandy the Trench Mommy says

      December 09, 2009 at 5:23 am

      Wow. I love your ornaments.

      Reply
    22. FeelsLikeHomeBlog says

      December 09, 2009 at 4:39 pm

      And I love you! Thanks for the ego boost. 🙂

      Reply
    23. AmysFinerThings says

      December 13, 2009 at 2:28 pm

      You did an excellent job with those ornaments. Wanna make some for me?! 🙂

      Reply
    24. AmysFinerThings says

      December 13, 2009 at 10:28 pm

      You did an excellent job with those ornaments. Wanna make some for me?! 🙂

      Reply
    25. GAHCindy says

      November 15, 2010 at 1:01 am

      Sigh. I want to be you. I can't do that stuff.

      Reply
      • Tara @ Feels Like Home says

        November 15, 2010 at 2:13 am

        Sure you can. I'm working on a tutorial. 😉

        Reply
        • GAHCindy says

          November 15, 2010 at 2:51 am

          Oh, good! I'm not crafty, but if I can get somebody to tell me how, I can have lots of fun screwing it up! :0)

          Reply

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