Jesse Tree

One of the devices we used to count down Advent this year was a Jesse Tree. I researched and found several opinions on how to make the tree, ornaments and what symbols to use but in short, a Jesse Tree is some kind of tree or branch with some kind of ornaments that symbolize history before and up to Jesus. We started with creation and ended with names for Jesus as stated in the O Antiphons and paraphrased in the hymn O Come, O Come Emmanuel. The boys and I made ornaments out of Sculpey and read selections of scripture each day when they took turns hanging an ornament on the tree. Nathan wanted to know if we could make ornaments again next year.

You can see both sides of the tree here.

This was a really fun project and an excellent way to bring in Christmas.

The pictures aren't the best but I'm still figuring out the new camera. It doesn't have an eye hole (I'm sure that's not the technical name) but only a screen and I'm one of those old fashioned people who likes to look through the viewer so I'm not used to the screen. I'll learn!