O Jesse Tree, O Jesse Tree

Cross-posted with O Night Divine

My boys have been singing to the tune of “O Christmas Tree” either the word “O Advent Tree” or “O Jesse Tree”. It makes me smile every time.

I really wanted to introduce the Jesse Tree this year. My perfectionist tendency didn’t want to do this until I decided on the names and symbols and had just the right ornaments. But then I decided that I can always change or add along the years. Every Advent looks different!

So I purchased wood ornament cut-outs that I thought I would paint or glue images. And time was running out…it looked like this would be another Advent of indecisiveness and no Jesse Tree.

In the meantime, Michele posted the perfect Jesse Tree images that she created. They were just made to order — almost like I told her what I wanted (but I hadn’t!). Since the first images of the Jesse Tree were found in stained glass windows, I find these images just a perfect connection. Plus, she included the O Antiphons, which is the approach I prefer.

At first I was just going to print and glue the images onto the circles, but after Michele also suggested that epoxy round stickers might enhance the image, I thought I’d try that.

My boys helped me sand the circles (be careful with this, because the wood can split in areas). We then painted them with a base coat of white, then with an acrylic paint “Champagne gold”.

I printed the Jesse Tree file on glossy paper with a color laser printer, applied the epoxy sticker over the middle of the image, and then cut around the circle leaving the excess. Then using quick-drying tacky glue, I glued the circles onto the ornament. I decided to make them two-sided, so that the same image is on both the front and back. I used gold filament thread to hang them. (My pictures are a bit fuzzy, my apologies.)

The only “fault” in the ornament is that the hole is a bit lower, so the image isn’t centered in the ornament, but that’s just minor cosmetics. I’m really pleased with how they turned out.

To keep them in order, I took a foam board, divided it into 5 inch squares and hung each one on the corresponding square with a thumb tack.

Our tree is a $9 3-footer from Home Depot. I was looking for a bit larger, but now I think it’s just right.

We’re not doing any elaborate readings or discussions. As we hang them we just talk about them. To supplement with images and further information, we are using Bible Stories.