A Jesse Tree is a small tree your family decorates with one ornament a day through Advent (the weeks of waiting and preparing before Christmas), and each ornament stands for a Bible story that leads to Jesus’ birth. If you’d love for your children to know the whole story behind Christmas, from the very first page of the Bible to the night Jesus was born, it’s a sweet place to begin.
By Christmas Day, your little tree holds the story of how God prepared the world for Jesus.
The Little Rose Shop began with a mom who wanted simple ways to teach her daughter the faith, and the Jesse Tree is one of our favorite Catholic Advent activities for kids. In just a few minutes a day, you can gather your little ones close and share how faithfully God loves His people. For more ideas, browse our Catholic Advent collection.
What Is a Jesse Tree?
A Jesse Tree is a small tree, or a few branches, that your family decorates with one ornament a day through Advent. Each ornament stands for a person or event from the Bible, and together they tell Jesus’ family story. It’s a special tradition for families with young children, because little ones get to hang each ornament while you read its story, and the picture on it helps them remember who the story was about.
The name comes from Jesse, the father of King David. Many of the kings after David failed to lead God’s people well, so the prophet Isaiah (a messenger who spoke for God) pictured David’s royal family as a tree cut down to a stump. Then he promised, “A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse” (Isaiah 11:1), and Christians see that new shoot as Jesus.
Many stories on your tree hold promises like this one, including God’s promise to Abraham that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through his family (Genesis 22:18). Day by day, your children hear those promises unfold, and on Christmas Day they see them come true in the manger (baby Jesus' crib).
Jesse Tree Symbols and Readings
There’s no single official list of Jesse Tree readings and symbols, so the stories and pictures vary from plan to plan. This list follows 25 days, from December 1 to Christmas Day, the same length as a plan from the Diocese of St. Petersburg (a diocese is a local Church led by a bishop). Each reading names a book of the Bible, then a chapter, then verses, so Luke 1:26-38 is chapter 1, verses 26 to 38.
| Day | Story | Bible Reading | Symbol |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Creation | Genesis 1 | Globe or sun |
| 2 | Adam and Eve | Genesis 3 | Apple |
| 3 | Noah | Genesis 6-9 | Ark or rainbow |
| 4 | Abraham | Genesis 15:1-6 | Stars |
| 5 | Isaac | Genesis 22:1-18 | Ram |
| 6 | Jacob | Genesis 28:10-22 | Ladder |
| 7 | Joseph, son of Jacob | Genesis 37 | Colorful coat |
| 8 | Moses | Exodus 3:1-15 | Burning bush |
| 9 | The Ten Commandments | Exodus 20:1-17 | Stone tablets |
| 10 | Ruth, David’s great-grandmother | Ruth 1:16-17 and 4:13-17 | Wheat |
| 11 | Jesse, David’s father | Isaiah 11:1-10 | A shoot growing from a stump |
| 12 | David | 1 Samuel 16 | Harp |
| 13 | Solomon | 1 Kings 3:5-14 | Crown |
| 14 | Elijah | 1 Kings 18:20-39 | Flame |
| 15 | Isaiah | Isaiah 9:1-6 | Scroll |
| 16 | Jonah | Jonah 1-2 | Big fish |
| 17 | Daniel | Daniel 6 | Lion |
| 18 | Micah | Micah 5:1-4 | The little town of Bethlehem |
| 19 | Zechariah and Elizabeth | Luke 1:5-25 | Incense |
| 20 | Mary | Luke 1:26-38 | Lily |
| 21 | Mary visits Elizabeth | Luke 1:39-56 | Two women greeting each other |
| 22 | John the Baptist | Luke 1:57-80 | Shell |
| 23 | Joseph | Matthew 1:18-25 | Carpenter’s hammer |
| 24 | The journey to Bethlehem | Luke 2:1-5 | Donkey |
| 25 | Jesus is born | Luke 2:6-20 | Manger |
Days 1 to 18 come from the Old Testament (the books of the Bible written before Jesus was born). Days 19 to 25 come from the Gospels of Luke and Matthew, which tell the story of His birth.
How to Set Up and Use Your Jesse Tree
You can set up a Jesse Tree in one evening before December 1, using things you can make at home:
-
Choose your tree: Keep it small enough to fit on a table or shelf, with room for 25 small ornaments and branches low enough for children to hang them. Any of these works well:
- branches in a pot of gravel or sand
- a tabletop tree
- a poster-board tree
- a felt wall tree
- Make the ornaments: Color the Jesse Tree symbol pages in our Advent and Christmas Catholic Coloring Book and cut them out, or cut 25 paper circles about the size of your palm and draw one day’s symbol from the table on each. Glue each circle to felt or construction paper so it’s sturdy enough for little hands, then punch a hole and add a loop of string or ribbon.
- Pick a daily time: Choose a time when your family is already together, like breakfast or bedtime. If you light an Advent wreath on Sundays (an evergreen ring with a new candle lit each week to observe Advent), you can read the day’s story right after as part of it.
- Share the day’s story: Gather close and read the passage aloud. For little ones, read a children’s Bible retelling or just a few key verses, since some passages are long. If a toddler can’t sit still yet, hand them a soft quiet book to explore while older siblings listen. Ask one simple question, like “What did God promise here?” or “How did this person trust God?”
- Hang the ornament and pray: Let your child hang the ornament, and close with a short prayer thanking God for keeping His promises. Each day, your children can look up at the tree and see how far the story has come.
Making the Jesse Tree Work for Your Family
A Jesse Tree changes a little as your children grow. Older children can take turns reading the passage aloud or asking the day’s question, and they’ll enjoy having a job of their own.
For the littlest ones, Catholic board books make a precious Advent or Christmas gift. With a book about Mary or Joseph, your toddler can visit the people from the last days of the Jesse Tree again at bedtime.
Life with little ones means that some nights won’t go to plan. If you miss a day, read two stories together the next day and hang both ornaments. God’s people waited through all those centuries of stories, and God is patient with tired families, too. He understands.
On Day 25, the manger goes on the tree, and the story you’ve followed all Advent arrives at Jesus’ birth. Christmas doesn’t end there, though. The Church celebrates it for the Twelve Days and further, from December 25 until the Baptism of the Lord (January 10 in 2027).
Frequently asked questions
What if Advent starts before December 1?
In 2026, Advent begins on Sunday, November 29, two days before a December 1 plan starts. Use those two days to set up your tree and talk about hope, the theme of Advent’s first week, then hang the Day 1 ornament on December 1.
Is the Jesse Tree a Catholic tradition?
Yes. The Jesse Tree grew out of the “Tree of Jesse” pictures in medieval churches, like the famous stained glass window at Chartres Cathedral in France, and the US bishops suggest it for families with young children. Lots of other Christian families keep one too, since every story on it comes from the Bible.
Can we reuse our Jesse Tree ornaments next year?
You absolutely can. Store them flat in an envelope, in order with Day 1 on top, so they’re ready for next December. Next year, ask your children to tell each story before you read it, so you can see what they remember.