This year we have started a new Christmas tradition. I am always looking for ways to keep Christ the focus of the holiday, especially with my children. A lot of people I know have started The Jesse Tree this year...it is a way to celebrate the season of advent. Advent is the season of anticipation leading up to Christ's birth and typically starts on the Sunday after Thanksgiving or on December 1st. There are lots of different ways to participate, but here is how we're doing it.
On our dining room table, we have a small white tree, 4 purple candles (typical advent colors which symbolize royalty aka Jesus), our Children's Bible, a box and our manger scene. I like that it has its own prominent place in our house separate from everything else.
In the box we keep a lighter to light the candle(s) (you add a new candle each Sunday before Christmas until all four are lit the week before), the white candle which is for Christmas day only, 4 pieces of candy, the ornament and Bible story for that day.
Each day we put 4 more pieces of candy and the new ornament/Bible story in the box. The candy is just for the kids' enjoyment and they enjoy taking turns each night opening the box, passing out the candy to everyone and hanging the ornament on the tree. The candle has proved to be very enjoyable to them as well...I don't know what it is about kids and fire. :-)
Here are some of the ornaments Jason and I made. There are different ways to do this. You can home make them (which I may slowly work on for next year - there are 26!), or you can print and color then laminate like we did (aka the easy non-crafty way :-). Here is a link to where I found the printouts of the ornaments and Bible stories plus the advent schedule (thanks Lori!). Click here.
The Bible stories start with creation and slowly work their way through the Bible anticipating the birth of Jesus and therefore Christmas day. Below is a picture of where our 4 advent candles sit (until we light them of course :-).
I am really thrilled that we are starting this tradition and so far the boys have really enjoyed it. They look forward every night to opening the box and seeing what we're going to be talking about that night...of course they are excited about the candy too. Here they are listening to Daddy talk about one of the Bible stories.
If you have any questions about it, let me know and I'd be glad to try to help you if you want to do this with your own family. Lastly, I wanted to give you guys some information on a GREAT idea for a Christmas gift. Check out these beautiful handmade paper necklaces by women in Uganda, Africa!
I have one myself and I LOVE it! All of the proceeds go directly back to Africa to empower these women with employment to care for their families. A lot of them live on $1-$2 a day. They are great quality and make a great gift while also helping someone else out! Have a great weekend!
I have one myself and I LOVE it! All of the proceeds go directly back to Africa to empower these women with employment to care for their families. A lot of them live on $1-$2 a day. They are great quality and make a great gift while also helping someone else out! Have a great weekend!
5 comments:
Summer - we have been doing a slightly different version of the Jesse tree for 4 years or so now & it has been such a blessing! It is such a good reminder each day to keep Jesus as the center of this season. And Emma & Addie are both old enough to really "get" it now, so it has been really neat. So glad you've started this with your family too! I know you will be blessed.
My husband and I both come from the Lutheran tradition and thus celebrated Advent as children. It's something I really enjoy doing each year. We have an advent wreath with the 4 candles and a calendar to open 1 window each night. I try to do a reading also, but have found the kids are still kinda small to understand. I love your version of the Advent tradition! I may have to incorporate some of it into ours! Thanks for sharing.
This is the BEST. POST. EVER. Because I just read about The Jesse Tree and had NO idea what it was or how to incorporate it, but now I do! We'll be trying it next year! And also, thanks for the link to the necklaces, because I read about those too, but couldn't find them again! You read my mind :)
What a great new tradition! I love seeing people's ideas for teaching their children about the true meaning/reason for Christmas and Easter. I'm trying to file them all away for future use! :o)
I think that this is so awesome! - I know that the kids are loving it, and teaches them to focus on the real importance of the Christmas season! Can't wait for them to show it to me and tell me all about it when I get there for Christmas!
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