I always remember how exciting it was to start the countdown to Christmas. I loved the pink candle in the Advent wreath the best and longed for the week we could light it. Keeping with the spirit of Christ of course, my brother and I would battle for the chocolate in the Advent calendar. Growing up though, I had never heard of another Advent tradition called the Jesse Tree. Did I perhaps miss that in grade school? I don't think so. It wasn't until I became a teacher in a Catholic school that I learned about the Jesse tree. Eventually, I incorporated it into my classroom curriculum for the season of Advent. Here is some information on the Jesse Tree. Perhaps you will want to incorporate one into your home and make it a family tradition.
The following excerpt is from
Loyolapress.com
What is a Jesse Tree?
The
Jesse Tree helps us connect the custom of decorating Christmas trees to
the events leading to Jesus' birth. The Jesse Tree is named from Isaiah
11:1: “A shoot shall come out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall
grow out of his roots.” Jesse was the father of King David. We adorn a
Jesse Tree with illustrated ornaments that represent the people,
prophesies, and events leading up to the birth of Jesus. The ornaments
of the Jesse Tree tell the story of God in the Old Testament, connecting
the Advent season with the faithfulness of God across four thousand
years of history.
Here are a few resources for Jesse Tree ornaments:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/86865983/jesse-tree-ornaments-heirloom-wooden
http://tiredneedsleep.blogspot.com/2011/11/free-printable-jesse-tree-ornaments-and.html
http://www.eriercd.org/jessetree.htm
