You don’t have to drown in the problem I myself personally experienced years ago-and during Advent, probably the busiest time of the year for a mom! Adding a Jesse Tree seemed impossible!
I know that many mothers feel similarly! Tamalyn from Texas speaks for me (and countless other moms with a bunch of kids of all ages):
“Last year we began the Jesse Tree tradition in our family. I found readings from every day from assorted books, made my own not-very-good ornaments and tried to get our four kids (ages 11,7,5 and 3) all excited about the process. Stressful, STRESSFUL!”
So we have made it easy, with [update–now 4! ] different options depending on how “crafty” or energetic or how much help you have (read: older kids who are excited to step up–some are, some aren’t so much…).
Even if you are not an elite Pinterest Catholic mom, this year you can do this (and actually finish!) during Advent.
And it will really add meaning and anticipation and wonder to your preparation for Christmas.
Why the Jesse Tree, and why is it an Advent thing?
Catholic Advent is a season of preparation: we are joining the people of the Old Covenant waiting and preparing for the coming of the Messiah foretold in the Scriptures!
That’s what the Jesse Tree is: a hands-on way for your children to learn the “History of Salvation” from Creation to the Birth of Christ.
How? By going day-by-day with us through the “family tree” of Jesus! By meeting the extended family of Jesus, kids can better understand how Jesus was foretold throughout generations before He was born on Christmas.
When we started Holy Heroes 12 years ago, the Jesse Tree was something we wanted to tackle right away. What if we could create an approachable way for families to start and finish the Jesse Tree? And not just once, but again and again until it could become an Advent family tradition.
After many years of feedback, trial, and error, we have come up with FOUR ways to help families complete their Jesse Trees. We know that every family is different so not every option might be right for yours–but with several options to choose from, we are confident we can find one that works!
FIRST–get your FREE ornament printouts by clicking the button below.
Option 1: The Jesse Tree within Advent Adventure
This FREE program was our first and it’s still the biggest Holy Heroes free Adventure!
Advent is a time of preparation for the Christmas season that is so often lost in our world of hustle and bustle. Advent Adventure is a program for families to receive daily emails with videos, prayers, blessings, printables, Mass prep materials, quizzes–all sorts of activities for all ages to help your kids (and you!) learn more about our Catholic faith while staying focused on preparing hearts and homes for Baby Jesus.
And as always, the Jesse Tree is included! You will receive daily videos that will help your family walk through Advent…and did we mention that we offer this completely FREE?
Sign up HERE or go to AdventAdventure.com to learn more!
Option 2: Add our interactive workbook (saves you printer ink and time!)
Created by Therese (one of the Holy Heroes Adventure Guides), this book is sure to entertain the kids & educate them about our Catholic faith at the same time! Each day, kids will walk through the Jesse Tree with 1-3 pages of mazes, coloring pages, and tons of other fun activities that instill Biblical knowledge in a memorable way. Great for elementary through middle school, these workbooks were introduced last year and instantly became one of our top-selling products of all time.
And right now you can get TWO very nice deals when you order this Jesse Tree activity book:
- We’ve got a “3-for-the-price-of-2″ deal right now, so every child can have his or her own book.
Option 3: A simpler way to watch daily Jesse Tree videos
Do you need to get the kids away from the computer (like…you need to order Christmas gifts?!) and want them to be able to manage the whole Jesse Tree without you?
Then you need our Jesse Tree DVD.
Easy to reuse year after year, the kids can manage it themselves–so easy.
“I made a somewhat elaborate Jesse Tree last year & wanted to go through it each day with my kiddos (aged 5, 3, 3, and 2). But…it was WAAAY above their heads, and I struggled to explain some of the symbols’ meanings, too. Your DVD makes it EASY and a JOY for all! Thank you!“
Becky from Nebraska
Easy for you: Your kids can pop it in the DVD player or laptop and manage this year’s tree all by themselves! This DVD contains a daily video and ornament for every day in Advent! Re-useable year-after-year, regardless of how long Advent is (it varies!) because we added EXTRA Jesse Tree days for those longer-than-normal Advents. Make this a new family tradition and use it year after year!
Bonus 1: We’ve included on the DVD a video that explains the “O Antiphons” (do you know what they are?) which are sung and prayed in the Catholic Liturgy of the Hours the last 7 days of Advent. You’ll also have videos for each of the O Antiphons.
Bonus 2: The DVD also contains 3 all-time favorite Advent Adventure videos, too:
- Holy Heroes Answer Kid explains the Immaculate Conception
- Saint Andrew, the “first-called” Apostle (feast day Nov 30, sometimes in Advent and sometimes not)
- Saint Francis Xavier (his feast day is Dec 3rd–always in Advent)
Join thousands of families in creating a new tradition this Advent and FINALLY complete a Jesse Tree with this DVD. Already on its third printing, this DVD is the easiest way to introduce your kids to the Jesse Tree.
Option 4: Jesse Tree Poster with Stickers
Families who don’t want to worry about coloring and cutting out Jesse Tree ornaments now have a great option for the Jesse Tree!
Our Jesse Tree Poster and Sticker Activity is an easy and no-mess way for your family to complete the Jesse Tree! Just hang the poster on your fridge and have your kids take turns “hanging” the sticker ornaments on the “tree”!
BONUS #1–there are bonus stickers so kids can also track how many Advent candles are lit each week leading up to Christmas!
BONUS #2–your kids will also learn the O Antiphons as they add the stickers to the top of the poster in the final days of Advent!
BONUS #3–In addition to all these stickers, there are EXTRA ones for kids to decorate their spiritual journals, homework, or Christmas cards!
With FOUR ways to complete the Jesse Tree, we hope you will find an option for your family! This a wonderful Catholic tradition that is sometimes forgotten because it is often difficult to find an approachable way for families to complete it at home.
May God bless you and yours this Advent and Christmas!
Kerri is the co-founder of Holy Heroes and the creator of the “Adventures” they offer free online. She has graduate degrees in history and law. She now homeschools the two children still at home (having successfully sent the six oldest children off to college).
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We all look forward to Advent every year and Holy Heroes has become a significant part of my Advent curriculum and adventures. My first graders ask for it everyday.
Thank you for making this so approachable – finally, this year, we will do it! I ordered the workbooks and video today, as I had been thinking of for awhile; but I was especially pleased to see the sticker version I could add for my toddler, who loves stickers and being involved in everything, but is, after all, still just a few days from turning two!
Thank you for products that are sincerely helpful and joyful, as we seek to live out and celebrate the most important things in life and in the liturgical year.