The Diocese of York has produced a Jesse Tree resource to be used during Advent in churches, homes and schools to help children, young people and their families engage with God’s story and understand how the Christmas story fits into the whole Bible.
Jesse Trees are very old Christmas tradition dating back to medieval times, used to help tell the story of the Bible from creation through to the birth of Jesus.
Each day through advent a special decoration or ornament is hung on the tree, telling a story from the Bible.
The name comes from Jesse who was the Father of King David. Isaiah 11:1-4 says,
"A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him - the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord - and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth."