What is a childlike Christmas?
Pom Pom has asked us lady bloggers to post on this topic.
First and foremost, a child's Christmas should be a religious Christmas. And I don't use the term "religious" in a negative, legalistic, shallow way. I simply mean that Christmas should be true to its namesake, Jesus Christ.
Thus, our Jesse Tree:
We acquired this little plastic tree about 20 years ago, in the first church we attended as a married couple. Each family in the church got a tree, and each family chose an ornament, and volunteered to make about 25 identical copies of that ornament. When all ornaments were finished, they were brought to the church, divided into 25 sets of ornaments, and each family got a set.
The ornaments, which are placed on the tree each day through advent, tell the story of Jesus through the Scriptures. I love how this beautiful daily decoration, used year after year, teaches our children that Jesus is the theme of the Bible, that He was the point from the very beginning.
They also gave us a simple booklet that reminds us which ornament goes on which day, and gives a Bible reading.
When I look at the ornaments, I remember the precious families that made them, all those years ago. Our children are grown now, and the Jesse Tree has done its work in their lives. When my children remember our Christmases from their childhood, I want them to remember Jesus, the point of it all. We've lived in about 11 different homes since our first baby was born. They moved many times, but some things stay the same, no matter where the family lives: Christmas, the Jesse Tree, and our love of Jesus.
Every Wednesday during Advent, we'll be enjoying a "Childlike Christmas" on our blogs. Come join us!
5 comments:
The Jesse Tree is so special! What a gift of love it was to make 25 of each ornament. That's so dear. I see Mole, Ratty, and Toad below, so I must check that right away! THANK YOU, MK!
I made 25 felt ornaments for an Advent devotional we did. Each day we hung one on our tree. Such lovely remembrances of telling The Christmas Story.
What a great project for a church.
I have never decorated a Jesse tree though a friend showed me hers many decades ago. It is such an excellent and faith-inspiring visual, besides often being artistic and fun. O, glory to God for His plan!
I love Jesse trees! I first learned about them through the book Celebrating a Christ-filled Christmas, which is really a lovely book. After that, I encouraged our church do do a similar project one year, except that each person developed ONE ornament on a them they'd signed up for. It made for a lovely Christmas service, putting them all on the tree together and discussing their meaning. Yours is fantastic - such a lovely heirloom.
what a fabulous idea, your church has made such a special and personal tradition for you to enjoy with your children.
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