Christian families should start a Jesse Tree tradition this Advent - they won’t regret it

Jesse Trees help families move towards Christmas by moving through the Bible, tracing the coming of Jesus right from the beginning. Gareth Crispin explains how Chrisitan parents can start this great tradition in their homes

Over the years having a Jesse Tree each Advent has been one of the best traditions in our family. My three boys are all older teenagers now but they still love to have a Jesse Tree as part of our season of Advent.

Advent means arrival or coming. In many church traditions, it is about waiting for Jesus’ second coming but it makes much more sense to frame it as a season of waiting for Jesus’ first coming, the first Christmas - that’s much easier for children to grasp in terms of the timing! Just like Mary waited through her pregnancy, much like Simeon and Anna both waited in the temple for the redemption and rescue of God’s people, we wait for the good news of Jesus’ birth and the joy that comes with remembering Emmanuel, God with us.

The Jesse Tree is a way to celebrate Advent as a family in an engaing participative way. I won’t lie it take a bit of preparation, but you know how the saying goes: the more you put in, the more you get out.

The basic idea is that you find a ……