Similar to a Jesse Tree, a Lenten tree is a family activity, gathering everyone together to read Scripture together and learn more about our Faith as Catholics. 
 

Reverse Jesse Tree

A Lenten Tree is essentially a reverse Jesse Tree, in that you put all the ornaments up at the beginning of Lent and take one off each day.  Slowly, your tree will become more bare much like the Season of Lent where we die to ourselves so that we may more fully welcome the joys of Easter. Then, of Easter Sunday, your family can decorate the tree together with flowers (real or fake) to help symbolize the new life of your tree found in the resurrection of our Savior.
 

The Ornaments

Each Ornament has the Gospel Reading reference on it.  Choose a time every day to gather together and read the Gospel reading.  If your children are old enough, they can take turns reading the passage.  Recommended times to gather would either be right before dinner or before bedtime, acting as the day's bedtime (true) story.  
 

How to Make The Ornaments

It's easy!  Simply PRINT THIS DOCUMENT BY CLICKING HERE and cut out the individual pieces by trimming on the lines (or have your kids do it to "practice their cutting skills" and give you a break).  Once the pieces are cut, you can do whatever you'd like to decorate: we cut out circles from purple cardstock paper using a small glass jar as a tracing tool to get a perfect circle.  You could choose to decorate the ornaments using glitter, religious stickers, or have the kids color the back of each one.

Where To Display

We recommend displaying your tree somewhere your family gathers, such as the living room or dinner table.  Not only will this help you to read the Gospel passages daily but it will help your family be more aware of the Lenten season.  

What about Holy Week?

Incorporate the greatest week of our Faith by trying the Holy Week eggs that are mentioned above in the "Holy Week From Home" Slideshow.  We love putting the eggs near the tree during Lent, getting the kids excited to open up the eggs for Holy Week.  Once that week arrives, you'll have a member of the family open up the egg.  Have everyone see what the item is.  Then, read the Gospel passage and have everyone share how they think the egg item relates to the Gospel reading.