The Jesse Tree: A Guide To The Advent Tradition

Skip to main content Hit enter to search or ESC to close Search Close Search The Jesse Tree

Your guide to the Advent tradition

What is Jesse Tree?

Jesse Tree is a way of preparing for Advent by journeying through the stories on Jesus’s family tree. Each day of Advent, read a Bible story about someone on Jesus’s family tree and hang an ornament symbolizing the story on your Jesse Tree. As you decorate your tree, you’ll see how God prepared for Jesus to be born through many generations.

Where does Jesse Tree come from?

The Jesse Tree tradition is rooted in Isaiah 11:1: “A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” Jesse was the father of David, Israel’s greatest king. And Jesus is descended from the line of David. He is the branch God promised would grow from Jesse’s family tree. Each symbol represents a story from within this family tree and a step toward the birth of Jesus.

Getting started with Jesse Tree

Tree ideas

A few different ways that you can make a Jesse Tree.

Make a Jesse Tree

Symbols and Bible passages

See a full schedule of Jesse Tree symbols and the Bible passages they represent.

See all symbols and stories

Ornament ideas

Instructions to use with our ornament patterns and ideas for going totally DIY.

Get ornament ideas

The Jesse Tree Story:

A Family Advent Devotional

Each devotion in this family Advent devotional invites you into the story of someone on Jesus’s family tree. These devotions will show young children how God was preparing for Jesus to be born across many generations. Each story pairs with a symbol you can hang on your own Jesse Tree.

Read the devotional

Printable Jesse Tree ornaments

Use our printable set of 25 Jesse Tree ornaments for your Advent celebration this year. The ornaments are available to color yourself or pre-colored.

Get printable ornaments

Printable Advent Calendar

Read a Bible story that led to the birth of Jesus and color a symbol each day with this printable Advent calendar.

Get the calendar

Get creative with these variations on the Jesse Tree tradition:

Instagram photo challenge

Celebrate Advent on Instagram through photos that reflect the daily Jesse Tree readings.

Take the challenge

Church Advent event

Offer an intergenerational activity to help church members prepare to celebrate Advent and Christmas.

Plan your event

Personal devotions

These daily devotions inspired by the Jesse Tree are designed for adults or teenagers to read during Advent. You can print them out or view them online.

Get devotions Disclaimer: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, meaning that, at no cost to you, we will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. However, we were not paid to review or recommend any of the links on this page.

© Reformed Church Press

Close Menu

• Topics
• Resources
• About
• Subscribe
• Donate