Have any of you ever tried to have a Jesse Tree? I admit that I had never heard of this lovely Christmas tradition until last year, but it has quickly become a family favorite around here. The jist of it is simply to use a tree (or a large branch found in the backyard, in our case) and each night of advent the family adds one ornament to the tree. These aren't just any oranaments, though. These are specially crafted to represent the legacy of Jesus and to illustrate how he used his life to teach us. Each ornament is symbolic of one of the miracles or events significant to his life.
Last year we worked furiously to make clay ornaments in time for each day, and we really didn't do as well as we could have. Some came out really well, others did not, and still others didn't get made at all. When I saw
this link to a set of printable ornaments to color in and hang up I was excited because that's a bit more realistic for first timers! Feel free to supplement with clay or other trinkets as you see fit!
This really is a wonderful way to share the true spirit of Christmas with your family, and to reinforce the real reason for the season!
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