Faithful KidsPrintable Jesse Tree Ornaments & Readings
A free Jesse Tree set for Advent: 25 ornaments to color — one for each day from December 1 to 25 — each with its daily Scripture reading, so your family walks the whole Bible story from Creation to the manger, a few minutes a day. No sign-up, no email. Print it, color it, hang it.
Download the free Jesse Tree PDF →All 25 ornaments + the readings plan in one file
The 25 Days: Symbols & Readings
| Day | Ornament | Reading | The story in one line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 1 | Light of Creation | Genesis 1:1-5 | God creates light and the world begins — the story that ends at Bethlehem starts here. |
| Dec 2 | The Tree and the Fall | Genesis 3:1-15 | Adam and Eve disobey, and God makes the first promise that a Rescuer will come. |
| Dec 3 | Noah's Ark | Genesis 6:11-22; 9:8-17 | God saves Noah's family and hangs a rainbow as a promise of mercy. |
| Dec 4 | Abraham's Stars | Genesis 12:1-3; 15:1-6 | God promises Abraham a family as countless as the stars — and that through it the whole world will be blessed. |
| Dec 5 | The Ram for Isaac | Genesis 22:1-14 | God provides a ram in Isaac's place — a picture of the substitute God will one day provide. |
| Dec 6 | Jacob's Ladder | Genesis 28:10-17 | Jacob dreams of a stairway between heaven and earth; Jesus will BE that bridge. |
| Dec 7 | Joseph's Coat | Genesis 37:3-4; 50:15-21 | Joseph is betrayed and sold, yet God uses it to save many — evil turned to rescue. |
| Dec 8 | The Burning Bush | Exodus 3:1-10 | God calls Moses from the burning bush to lead His people out of slavery. |
| Dec 9 | The Passover Lamb | Exodus 12:1-13 | The lamb's blood on the doorframe saves Israel — the sign John will echo: 'Behold, the Lamb of God.' |
| Dec 10 | The Ten Commandments | Exodus 19:16-20:17 | God gives His law at Sinai and makes Israel His covenant people. |
| Dec 11 | The Trumpet at Jericho | Joshua 6:1-20 | God brings the walls down — He wins battles His own way. |
| Dec 12 | Ruth's Wheat | Ruth 1:15-18; 4:13-17 | Ruth's loyalty is woven into the family line of David — and of Jesus. |
| Dec 13 | Samuel's Lamp | 1 Samuel 3:1-10 | The boy Samuel hears God's voice in the night: 'Speak, for your servant is listening.' |
| Dec 14 | The Stump of Jesse | Isaiah 11:1-5 | The prophecy that names the tree: from Jesse's stump, a Branch will bear fruit. |
| Dec 15 | David's Harp | 1 Samuel 16:1-13 | God chooses the shepherd-singer David — the king whose greater Son is coming. |
| Dec 16 | Solomon's Temple | 1 Kings 6:11-14; 8:27-30 | Solomon builds God a house; one day God will come to dwell with us Himself. |
| Dec 17 | Elijah's Altar | 1 Kings 18:30-39 | Fire falls on Carmel and the people cry: 'The LORD — he is God!' |
| Dec 18 | Isaiah's Promise | Isaiah 9:2-7 | 'For to us a child is born' — seven hundred years early, the birth announcement is written. |
| Dec 19 | The New Covenant | Jeremiah 31:31-34 | God promises a new covenant — His law written on hearts, sins remembered no more. |
| Dec 20 | Daniel and the Lion | Daniel 6:16-23 | God shuts the lions' mouths — faithful trust in a foreign land. |
| Dec 21 | Jonah's Great Fish | Jonah 1:15-2:10 | Three days inside the fish, then out alive — the sign Jesus claimed for Himself. |
| Dec 22 | The Voice in the Desert | Mark 1:1-8 | John prepares the way: 'After me comes one more powerful than I.' |
| Dec 23 | Mary's Lily | Luke 1:26-38 | Mary says yes: 'I am the Lord's servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.' |
| Dec 24 | The Star of Bethlehem | Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1-2 | The star rises over the little town the prophet named seven centuries before. |
| Dec 25 | The Manger | Luke 2:1-20 | The Branch from Jesse's stump arrives: Christ the Lord, asleep on the hay. |
The Ornaments — Ready to Color
Each ornament is drawn as simple line art so kids can color it before it goes on the tree. Print straight from this page, or grab the PDF above for all 25 on clean sheets with the readings included.
Jesse Tree Questions
What is a Jesse Tree?
A Jesse Tree is an Advent tradition that tells the whole story of the Bible leading up to Christmas. Each day from December 1 to 25, families hang one ornament — each a symbol of a Bible story, from Creation to the manger — and read the short Scripture passage it stands for. The name comes from Isaiah 11:1: "A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit." Jesse was King David's father, and the "Branch" is Jesus.
How do you use these printable ornaments?
Print the ornaments (they are drawn as coloring pages, so kids can color each one), cut them out, and hang one each day on a small tree, a branch in a jar, or a ribbon on the wall. Before hanging, read that day's passage from the table above — two or three minutes, once a day, and by Christmas Eve your family has walked the entire story of Scripture together.
What order do the Jesse Tree readings go in?
The readings follow the Bible's own storyline: Creation and the Fall, God's promises to Noah and Abraham, the exodus, the kings and prophets, and finally the events of the first Christmas. The table above lists all 25 days in order with each symbol and its Scripture reference.
Is this really free? Can I print copies for my class or church?
Yes — the ornaments, the readings, and the PDF are free with no sign-up, and you are welcome to photocopy them for your family, Sunday school class, homeschool co-op, or church. Printed pages carry our web address so families can find the readings again at home.
More free Advent and Christmas resources: our printable Advent Bible reading calendar, Christmas coloring pages, the Christmas word search, and 80 Christmas Bible trivia questions.
And when the ornament is hung and the reading is done, the same story exists as a video your kids will ask for: Faithful Kids tells the whole Bible in 300+ short video lessons with a quiz after every story. Start your free trial · churches and Sunday schools get it free.