The Jesse Tree: An Ancient Advent Practice

5 min read

By Judy Hilovsky, Copywriter and Copyeditor

As families gather for the holidays, conversation inevitably floats to absent members and upcoming family events. Past and future merge during these special times as elders reminisce and the younger generation looks to the future. As the calendar turns to December, many take time to reflect on their spiritual family, focusing on the past and future, to bring meaning to the season.

For centuries, Christians around the world have used Christmas—the holiday celebrating Jesus’s birth—to trace Jesus’s ancestry using a Jesse Tree. In the Old Testament, Isaiah 11:1 reads, “A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” In the Gospels, Jesus’s lineage is traced from the line of King David, who was the son of Jesse (Matthew 1:1–17). This is why the Jesse Tree is named as such.

The Tree’s Design

The Jesse Tree is seen in church art beginning in the Middle Ages, often in stained glass windows, carvings, and art. In an era when most people were illiterate, art provided a visual complement to the oral storytelling of Bible stories.

The Jesse Tree is seen in church art beginning in the Middle Ages, often in stained glass windows, carvings, and art.

Figure 1: Stained glass in Saint Leu-Saint Gilles.

An example from a prayer book in the museum’s collections shows the typical design of a Jesse Tree.

An example from a prayer book in the museum’s collections shows the typical design of a Jesse Tree. It starts with a branched tree growing from a reclining figure of Jesse. The branches feature pictures of Old and New Testament figures, all of whom are ancestors of Jesus. At the top is an image of Mary and Jesus. This design was often seen in stained glass windows of European cathedrals—one of the most beautiful depictions is in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres in Chartres, France.

This design was often seen in stained glass windows of European cathedrals—one of the most beautiful depictions is in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres in Chartres, France.

Figure 3: Jesse Tree, West Rose Windows, Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres, Bay 49. Picture by Micheletb.

Illuminated manuscript

Figure 4: Another example from the museum's collections in the first page of the Psalms that belonged to Elizabeth de Bohun, Countess of Northampton (1313–1356). Image © Museum of the Bible, 2025. All rights reserved.

How It Works

The Jesse Tree begins with the stump, and each addition has three focal points: the branch, the Bible reading, and the ornament that reflects the reading (see readings below).

Many use the tree as a countdown to Christmas, much like an Advent calendar. Each day, a Bible story is read and an ornament is decorated and placed on the tree. This tradition gives families a chance to gather and trace the biblical story from Genesis to Jesus’s birth.

Families often create their own artistic spin on the Jesse Tree by placing an ornament on the tree every day throughout December to illustrate Jesus’s lineage. Each ornament should reflect a Scripture reading, with each reading progressively moving from Genesis to the story of Jesus’s birth. Families choose an image that best suits the Bible reading for that day. After reading the story, they can color the ornament and then place it on the tree. With each reading, Christmas day comes closer.

This ancient practice of preparing for the birth of Jesus gives families a chance to slow down, spend time together, and understand the spiritual importance of this Advent season. Below are some popular readings and resources if you want to create your own Jesse Tree. Different religious traditions may draw on different readings.

Families often create their own artistic spin on the Jesse Tree by placing an ornament on the tree every day throughout December to illustrate Jesus’s lineage.