Jesse Tree- is this something new? I had not heard of any such thing while I was growing up or even for many years after I became I parent.
I have to admit, years ago (when my adult children were young), I had a wonderful opportunity to learn about the Jesse Tree. I belonged to a co op that was meeting during advent to swap Jesse Tree ornaments. Each family was to bring an ornament for the other families, and we would read the verses that went with those ornaments. I still remember that my sister-in-law created an awesome "burning bush" by gluing small rocks together with red plastic wrap for flames. The problem with all of this is that I had no idea what was going on and I was too embarrassed to ask!!
For a few years after this, I would occasionally pick up a Jesse Tree book or craft kit thinking we would figure this out and start our own Jesse tree. It was not until I came across this kit that I thought "I can do that!". Included are all the materials to make the ornaments, an explanation of what the Jesse Tree represents, the bible verses for each ornament, and fully illustrated instructions. Plus- there are only 12 ornaments.
Last year we added some more ornaments that we colored from one of those kits I purchased long ago.
If you want to begin a Jesse Tree, don't worry about "getting it right". I am not even sure that I really understood what we were doing when we first started ours. Even still, how we implement this devotion varies each year. Some years we put an ornament on the tree after breakfast each morning during advent. Other years we wait until dad gets home from work and do it before or after our advent wreath. Either way, the boys love to see their tree growing full of ornaments, and I can see their understanding of what we are doing growing each year.
My advice if you want to do a Jesse Tree- just do it.
The post that got me thinking about this. It includes many resources.
Celebrating Advent with the Jesse Tree is a simple children's book to help get started.
http://www.catholicbookpublishing.com/products/188
I have to admit, years ago (when my adult children were young), I had a wonderful opportunity to learn about the Jesse Tree. I belonged to a co op that was meeting during advent to swap Jesse Tree ornaments. Each family was to bring an ornament for the other families, and we would read the verses that went with those ornaments. I still remember that my sister-in-law created an awesome "burning bush" by gluing small rocks together with red plastic wrap for flames. The problem with all of this is that I had no idea what was going on and I was too embarrassed to ask!!
For a few years after this, I would occasionally pick up a Jesse Tree book or craft kit thinking we would figure this out and start our own Jesse tree. It was not until I came across this kit that I thought "I can do that!". Included are all the materials to make the ornaments, an explanation of what the Jesse Tree represents, the bible verses for each ornament, and fully illustrated instructions. Plus- there are only 12 ornaments.
Last year we added some more ornaments that we colored from one of those kits I purchased long ago.
If you want to begin a Jesse Tree, don't worry about "getting it right". I am not even sure that I really understood what we were doing when we first started ours. Even still, how we implement this devotion varies each year. Some years we put an ornament on the tree after breakfast each morning during advent. Other years we wait until dad gets home from work and do it before or after our advent wreath. Either way, the boys love to see their tree growing full of ornaments, and I can see their understanding of what we are doing growing each year.
My advice if you want to do a Jesse Tree- just do it.
The post that got me thinking about this. It includes many resources.
Celebrating Advent with the Jesse Tree is a simple children's book to help get started.
http://www.catholicbookpublishing.com/products/188
We have been saying that we are going add more ornaments to our Jesse Tree collection, but had not gotten around to it. Today, I decided we would get on it.
The boys were all pretty cooperative today with their coloring, so we persevered and finished all the ornaments that we want to add on.
The ornaments: 
The kit that we colored today's ornaments from: