The Tradition of the Jesse Tree
Jesse Trees are a very old Christmas Tradition and first started in medieval times. They are used to help tell the story of the Bible from creation to the Christmas Story.
The name comes from Jesse who was the Father of the great Jewish King David. One prophecy in the Bible, in the book of Isaiah, says:
1 A shoot will come out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch will sprout from his roots.
2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.
3 His delight will be in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by the sight of his eyes, neither decide by the hearing of his ears;
4 but with righteousness he will judge the poor, and decide with equity for the humble of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips he will kill the wicked.
Isaiah 11:1-4 (NHEB)
A branch is a sign of new life and new beginnings. Jesus was a descendent of King David and Christians believe that Jesus is this new branch.
The first Jesse trees were large carvings, tapestries or even stained glass windows put in Churches that helped illiterate people (people who can't read or write) to learn about the Bible from creation to the Christmas Story. But now Jesse Trees are used as a kind of Advent Calendar. You can use a normal Christmas tree or a banner in the shape of a tree. Each day through advent (or sometimes just on the four Sundays of advent) a special decoration or ornament (similar to a Chrismon), that tells a story from the Bible, is hung on the tree.
Jesse Tree Symbols and Decorations
There are very many different stories and symbols you can use. Here are 25 example stories and symbols.
| Bible Story: | Where it is in the Bible: | Symbol: |
|---|---|---|
| Creation | Genesis 1 | The earth |
| Adam and Eve / Garden of Eden |
Genesis 2:4 - 3:24 | A tree with fruit or an apple |
| Noah & the Flood | Genesis 6:9 - 9:17 | A rainbow |
| God's promise to Abraham |
Genesis 12:1-7 & 15:1-6 | A tent |
| Isaac | Genesis 22:1-18 | A ram |
| Jacob's Ladder | Genesis 28:10-19 | A ladder |
| Joseph's Coat | Genesis 37 & 50 | A multicolored coat or robe |
| Moses | Exodus 2:1 - 4:20 | A burning bush |
| Israelites and the Passover |
Exodus 12:1-42 | A lamb |
| The 10 Commandments | Exodus 19:1 - 20:20 | Two stone tablets |
| Joshua and the fall of Jericho |
Joshua 6:1-20 | A ram's horn trumpet |
| Ruth | Ruth (Whole Book) | A sheaf of corn |
| King David | 1 Samuel 16:1-3 | A six pointed 'Star of David' |
| Solomon's Temple | 1 Kings 6 | The temple |
| Elijah and Baal's Priests |
1 Kings 18:16-39 | A bonfire |
| Isaiah's 'Jesse' Prophecy |
Isaiah 11:1-11 | A tree stump with a single branch growing from it |
| Jonah and the Whale | Jonah (Whole Book) | A whale |
| John the Baptist | Matthew 3:13-17 | A scallop shell |
| Mary | Luke 1:26-38 | A white lily |
| Elizabeth | Luke 1:39-56 | A mother and child |
| Zechariah | Luke 1:57-80 | A pencil and tablet |
| Joseph | Matthew 1:19-25 | A carpenter's hammer |
| The Shepherds | Luke 2:8-20 | A fluffy sheep! |
| The Wisemen | Matthew 2:1-12 | A gold star or the three gifts or three crowns |
| Jesus | Luke 2:1-8 | A baby in a manger |
Last Updated: | Sources Information | Written by: James Cooper