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A jar of bare branches on a windowsill at dusk, hung with small paper ornaments, beside an Advent wreath with its first candle lit.

Jesse Tree 2026: Free Printable Ornaments and Daily Readings

A Catholic Jesse tree tells the family story of Jesus through Advent: one ornament and one short Scripture reading each evening, from Creation to the manger. This list is fitted to the 26 days of Advent 2026, from Sunday, November 29, to Christmas Eve, and prints on plain paper.

How to keep it

Stand a bare branch in a jar, or draw a tree on paper for the wall. Each evening, read the short passage for the day, talk for a minute about what it shows of God’s promise, and hang that day’s ornament. By Christmas Eve the tree carries the whole story, and the last ornament is the manger.

The 26 days of Advent 2026

  1. Sun, Nov 29

    Creation Sun and earth

    Gn 1:1–2:3 · God makes everything good, and makes us in his image.

  2. Mon, Nov 30

    Adam and Eve Apple and serpent

    Gn 3:1–15 · Sin enters the world, and God already promises a Savior.

  3. Tue, Dec 1

    Noah Ark and rainbow

    Gn 8:1–12; 9:8–17 · God saves Noah’s family and makes a covenant with every living thing.

  4. Wed, Dec 2

    Abraham Night sky of stars

    Gn 12:1–7; 15:1–6 · God promises Abraham descendants as many as the stars.

  5. Thu, Dec 3

    Isaac Ram in the thicket

    Gn 22:1–18 · God stops Abraham’s hand and gives a ram instead; one day the Father will give his own Son for us.

  6. Fri, Dec 4

    Jacob Ladder

    Gn 28:10–22 · Heaven and earth are joined; Jesus is the ladder (Jn 1:51).

  7. Sat, Dec 5

    Joseph, son of Jacob Coat of many colors

    Gn 37:3–28; 45:1–8 · Sold by his brothers, he saves them: God brings good out of evil.

  8. Sun, Dec 6

    Moses Burning bush

    Ex 3:1–15 · God reveals his name and comes to set his people free.

  9. Mon, Dec 7

    The Passover Lamb

    Ex 12:1–14 · The blood of the lamb saves Israel; Christ is our Passover.

  10. Tue, Dec 8

    The Law on Sinai Two tablets

    Ex 19:16–20:17 · God gives his people the Commandments as a way of life.

    Also the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (a holy day of obligation in the US).

  11. Wed, Dec 9

    Ruth Sheaf of wheat

    Ru 1:16–17; 4:13–17 · A foreign woman’s faithfulness becomes part of Jesus’ family line.

  12. Thu, Dec 10

    Jesse Stump with a green shoot

    Is 11:1–10 · From the stump of Jesse a shoot will grow: the tree’s name.

  13. Fri, Dec 11

    Samuel Lamp

    1 Sm 3:1–10 · The boy Samuel hears God call him in the night and answers: Speak, Lord, I am listening.

  14. Sat, Dec 12

    David Crown and harp

    1 Sm 16:1–13; 2 Sm 7:12–16 · God promises David a kingdom that will last forever.

  15. Sun, Dec 13

    Solomon Temple

    1 Kgs 3:5–14; 8:22–30 · The king who asks for wisdom builds a house for God.

  16. Mon, Dec 14

    Elijah Fire on the altar

    1 Kgs 18:21–24, 30–39 · The Lord alone is God; God promises to send Elijah before the day of the Lord (Mal 3:23 [4:5]).

  17. Tue, Dec 15

    Isaiah Live coal

    Is 6:6–8; 7:14; 9:1–6 [9:2–7] · The virgin shall bear a son, Emmanuel (Mt 1:23): the Prince of Peace.

  18. Wed, Dec 16

    Jonah Great fish

    Jon 2:1–11 [1:17–2:10]; 3:1–5 · Three days in the fish: the sign Jesus gives of his Resurrection.

  19. Thu, Dec 17

    Micah Little town

    Mi 5:1–4 [5:2–5] · From Bethlehem, least among the clans, comes the ruler of Israel.

    Evening antiphon: O Wisdom

  20. Fri, Dec 18

    Zechariah and Elizabeth Censer

    Lk 1:5–25 · In their old age God answers their prayer.

    Evening antiphon: O Adonai

  21. Sat, Dec 19

    Mary: the Annunciation Lily

    Lk 1:26–38 · Mary says yes to God: let it be done to me as you have said.

    Evening antiphon: O Root of Jesse

  22. Sun, Dec 20

    Saint Joseph Carpenter’s square

    Mt 1:18–24 · A just man, he trusts the angel’s message and takes Mary into his home.

    Evening antiphon: O Key of David

  23. Mon, Dec 21

    The Visitation Two hands joined

    Lk 1:39–56 · Mary carries Christ to Elizabeth, and John leaps for joy.

    Evening antiphon: O Radiant Dawn

  24. Tue, Dec 22

    John the Baptist Scallop shell

    Lk 1:57–66, 76–80 · John is born, the one who will prepare the way for Jesus.

    Evening antiphon: O King of the Nations

  25. Wed, Dec 23

    The journey to Bethlehem Star over a road

    Lk 2:1–5 · Joseph and Mary go up to the city of David.

    Evening antiphon: O Emmanuel

  26. Thu, Dec 24

    Jesus is born Manger

    Lk 2:6–20 · The Word becomes flesh: the root of Jesse has come.

References follow the New American Bible (NABRE). Where other Catholic Bibles number a verse differently, that number is in [brackets].

Starting on December 1, or later? Hang the ornaments you missed together with tonight’s (on December 1: Creation, Adam and Eve, and Noah), then go on one a day. You will still reach the manger on Christmas Eve.

Extra ornaments, used in longer Advents: Joshua (Jos 6:1–20) and Jeremiah (Jer 31:31–34).

Print it for the tree

Print the ornaments: the 26 for Advent 2026, each with its date, plus Joshua and Jeremiah for longer Advents. In color, or in black and white for children to color, on cardstock if you have it.

The page itself prints as a plain reading list, one line a day, to keep beside the branch. Parishes and schools are welcome to print and copy both.

For the rest of the season on one sheet, there is also an Advent calendar to print, and for Sundays, the Advent wreath.

Keep the seven evenings before Christmas Eve with the O Antiphons

A narrated O Antiphons prayer for December 17 to 23 and a narrated Advent Wreath prayer, both in the app.

Download on theApp StoreGet it onGoogle Play

More free tools

All free, no sign-up, and nothing to keep updated — the dates are computed rather than typed. See all 17 tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

A Jesse tree is a family tree of Jesus kept through Advent. Its name comes from Isaiah 11:1, where a shoot grows from the stump of Jesse, the father of King David. Each evening the family hangs one ornament on a bare branch or a paper tree and reads a short passage, from Creation to the manger, so the whole story of God’s promise has been told by Christmas Eve.