Neat Ideas for Christmas trees

These we a couple neat Christmas tree ideas to get kids to understand tie in some neat analogies for Christmas! ENJOY!

The Jesse Tree
Excerpted from 'Advent and Lent Activities for Children' with permission of Twenty-Third Publications. BY: Sheila Kielly and Sheila GeraghtyOrigin: The Jesse tree represents Jesus' family tree. The name is taken from Isaiah 11:1, in which Jesus is referred to as a shoot coming up from the stump of Jesse, the father of David. The ornaments on the Jesse tree tell of Jesus' ancestors, and of the events leading to Jesus' birth.
Symbols:
Adam and Eve ~ Apple (Genesis 2:4-3:24)
Noah ~ Ark or rainbow (Genesis 6:11-22, 7:17-8:12, 20-9:17)
Abraham ~ Knife (Genesis 12:1-7, 15:1-6)
Isaac ~ Ram (Genesis 22:1-19)
Jacob ~ Ladder (Genesis 27:41-28:22)
Joseph ~ Colorful coat (Genesis 37, 39:1-50:21)
Moses ~ Tablets of the law (Exodus 2:1-4:20)
David ~ Harp (1 Samuel 16:17-23)
Isaiah ~ Lion and lamb (Isaiah 1:10-20, 6:1-13, 8:11-9:7)
Mary ~ Lily (Luke 1:26-38)
Elizabeth ~ Small home (Luke 1:39-55)
Joseph ~ Hammer or saw (Matthew 1:18-25)

Connection: Roots are important parts of a tree. As people, we need to know our roots, as well. Often, we run from one thing to another without reflecting on where we've been or where we are going. As we create a Jesse tree during this Advent season, let us pause and look at our lives to see on whose shoulders we stand.
Activity: Make a Jesse tree for your home. First, take a large, bare branch and secure it in a pot of sand or rocks. (You can also use a large potted plant or evergreen.) Create ornaments that trace Jesus' royal line by making symbols for some of the people found in the Hebrew testament. Make the ornaments out of cardboard or construction paper and decorate as you like. Instead of hanging all the ornaments on the tree at one time, you may want to hang one on every other day of Advent. Read the Scripture citation given here as you hang each ornament on the tree.
Here is a link to see one that is done up: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/7202/advent.html

Here is another neat idea for those of you with little kids or for those that are looking for neat ideas to get the kiddos thinking; saw this on another blog so I figured I would pass along her neat ideas!:
We decorate our tree with deliberately chosen ornaments, each one is one of the following shapes or images, all symbolizing the Gospel Message. We have a "tree trimming party" with family and friends Thanksgiving Weekend and put up the tree. As we decorate, we read the scriptures for each ornament to help us remember God's love for us!
Our Christmas Tree Ornaments… what they mean to us:
ANGELS: God's messengers were the first to announce the birth of the Christ child.
Luke 1: 26-38,
BELLS: Bells ring to call people to worship. Psalm 100,
CANDLES AND LIGHTS: Our home glows with light during this time of the year to remind us that Jesus came as the Light of the World.Matthew 5:14-16, John 8:12,
CHRISTMAS TREE: Symbolizes that our God is eternal and we have eternal life through His Son when we put our trust in Him. 2 Peter 3:17-18,
CROSS: Reminding us of the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross to pay for our sins, but also our call to take up our cross and follow Him.Matthew 16:24,
GIFTS: God sent His son and that's the greatest gift of all. Gifts also represent the significant gifts of the Magi. If they don't show our love for our family or friend, then they shouldn't be given.Matthew 2:10-11,
HEART: God LOVED us so much that He sacrificed His Son for us!
John 3:16-18
NATIVITY: Reminding us of the story of Christ’s BirtBible: Luke 2
SHEPHERD'S STAFF: We call it a candy cane. But truly it is a shepherd's staff. The colors symbolize the blood and purity of Christ. Psalm 23,
SNOWFLAKES: Reminding us that Jesus’ blood washes our sins white as snow.Isaiah 1:18, STAR: God proclaimed His truth in creation by lighting up the heavens with a star that announced the birth of Christ the King.Matthew 2:1-12