Jesse Tree Party!!

I've blogged many times about our Jesse Tree Christmas tradition! I know a lot of you do the Jesse Tree too. One of the pastors at my church asked me to put together a Jesse Tree party for our church where people could come and make their own Jesse Tree ornaments as a family.

I really had no idea what I was getting into when I agree to put together the party.

The whole thing was rather last minute and we ended up having 60 families sign up.

I'll save you the trouble of thinking through the math: 60 families X 25 ornaments = 1,500 ornaments.

The party was on Friday...I got the final count of how many people were coming on Tuesday.

Talk about stress.

Believe me when I tell you there are not 60 camels anywhere within driving distance of my house.

Around 120 people attended the party.

Thankfully I had tons of help...or I most certainly would have cried! ha!
One night I literally didn't sleep because I was up worrying and trying to figure out how I was going to make "Jacob's ladder."  Hello??? Turn a little picket fence (found in craft stores) into a ladder. Now I know! Whew.

I'll be honest...I thought the whole thing was going to be a disaster.

I am such a planner, I just couldn't see how this was all going to come together...but it did.

It was such a fun night for families!! And for me...I really loved it!

We ended up making 53 Jesse Tree kits that night!

I'm so excited that there are 53 families that are starting a new tradition this year. 53 families who want to be intentional about keeping Jesus as the focus of their Christmas season. Totally worth all the stress!! I do believe I even agreed to do it again next year.

If you are one of the people who have a Jesse Tree that you do with your family each year...

I put together a new devotional guide this year. I wrote some myself and got a lot from a few other online resources. If you're interested in getting a copy...email me and I can email it to you. It's so much better than that book I think we all have.

Did I mention that the Jesse Tree Party was on a Friday night and my family was coming to visit (and stay at my house) on Saturday??

I'm glad it's over. I learned A LOT about what not to do!!! 

I would do it again in a heartbeat.