Jesse Tree Resource Round-Up

The Jesse Tree is one of my favorite Advent traditions, so I thought today I’d do a round-up of some of the Jesse Tree resources I’ve used over the years.

Keep in mind you don’t need anything special to do the Jesse Tree in your home. All you need is a bible and the bible references. But, one of the hallmarks of the Jesse Tree is the ornaments that represent the daily bible readings. When I started using the Jesse Tree 15 years ago in my high school classroom, there were almost no resources out there. Now, there are so many resources it can actually be a bit overwhelming.

I love the Jesse Tree so much, I buy all the resources I can get my hands on. And, over the years, I’ve used most of them too! So, I can share my thoughts on each one I’ve used, and hopefully, it will be helpful to you.

1. Unwrapping the Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp

I love this devotional so much. This is by far one of my favorite of all the resources. I love that the stories are well told, the illustrations are beautiful, and it provides discussion prompts. The readings are on the longer side, but because it’s so beautiful to look at, I think the kids stay pretty engaged. We used this book when my four kids were between the ages of 9 and 2.

This devotional is 25 days. Advent ranges in its length and can be as long as 29 days. So, if you are looking for a devotional with more days, maybe save this for a year when Advent is shorter.

If you want ornaments to match, you can actually get a free set here (click the “free tools and ornaments” button). You can print them and either mod-podge them to wooden ornaments or laminate them.

2. O Come, Emmanuel by Kendra Tierney

We used this book last year, and it was a great option. One of the things I loved about it was the length of the reflections. They were super short. And, it appreciated that the bible verses were right in the book and you didn’t need to get out your bible. I loved the artwork in this book, also.

Again, this devotional is only 25 days, so you would always need to start on December 1st, even in years when Advent was longer.

If you are looking for a set of heirloom quality ornaments that you can use year after year, she offers a beautiful wooden set. You can get them in two sizes, 2 inches, and 3 inches.

3. Mosaic Jesse Tree by Sara Estabrooks

I’m listing this set next because I’ve actually used an earlier version of this book about five years ago. What I liked about this resource is that her reflections were VERY short, which was perfect at the time. My kids were very young when we used it, and I appreciated that everything was very simple.

Again, this resource only has 25 days, and it includes the O Antiphons, which makes is not my favorite way of doing the Jesse Tree. I don’t prefer to combine those devotions, but for someone looking to get a very concise biblical timeline and the O Antiphons in one, this is it!

On Sara’s Etsy, you can find a set of printable coloring ornaments with simple reflections and the full-color version.

4. Jesse Tree Cards by Catholic Family Crate

I really like these Jesse Tree cards by Catholic Family Crate, also. They have the symbol and the bible reference right on the card, and there are 28 cards, so they can accommodate longer Advent seasons. This set doesn’t combine the O Antiphons, which I appreciate! And they look nice too.

The only downside side is that they aren’t ornaments. You can display them using string and clips or even on a small picture easel. You could punch holes in them and turn them into ornaments. But they also have a printable set of ornaments for free, so you could always use those too! And if you want to get the separate O Antiphons set, you can get those here.

I have a referral link also that gets you 20% off in their shop if you click here. (I don’t make a commission on this, but I do get a 20% coupon if you use my link, which I definitely appreciate)

5. Tree of Jesse by Studio Senn

Last year, Studio Senn released the book, Tree of Jesse. It looks beautiful, but I haven’t purchased it, so I don’t know what the book is like, but from what I can tell, the ornaments are beautiful. This is, however, another set that has the O Antiphons included as the last eight days, which makes it not my favorite choice, but, again, a beautiful set.

She has a set that includes the book and these window clings which is a new and creative idea. She also sells this gorgeous heirloom quality Wooden Ornament set. I’d say this set is very nice, but some of the symbols are a bit abstract, which you may love or not. If you are looking for a less expensive option, you can get this pulpboard set instead. The artwork is beautiful; I can certainly say that!

6. Jesse Tree Advent Study by Catholic Sprouts

Another resource that I think looks great is this one put out by Catholic Sprouts. though I’ve never used this resource personally, I love it. It includes everything you need as you begin this tradition. The little booklet has the daily scripture references, a short reflection, and a family prayer. It’s long enough for the longest Advent season, it has printable ornaments, and you can purchase it as a printed booklet or a digital download which is great for those of us who don’t have time to wait for shipping.

I also really like that they provide another interesting way of doing the Jesse Tree with this Poster and Sticker set.

7. Our Family’s Jesse Tree by Faith and Fabric

One more resource that I thought was worth mentioning was this resource by Faith and Fabric. I have never used it before, but it looks so great! It like that it has everything you need to create your own set of ornaments because it has templates. You could even choose to use them as coloring pages if you’d rather.

8. Prepare Him Room by Jeanette Pascua

Lastly, I’m including a link to my Jesse Tree book Prepare Him Room. This book was written as a series of reflections for adults a few years ago, and I put it into one downloadable book in 2021. My priority with this book was to let the scripture be the main thing. So, the reflections are short; I’m talking a 2-3 minute read. But, there are questions for reflection and space for you to write what’s on your heart each day. Here is a link to a longer explanation and info on how you can get your free copy.

There you have it! My 2022 Jesse Tree Resource Round-up. If you are interested in learning how my family uses the Jesse Tree in our home, check back here, and I’ll have a link to that post.