Rorate Caeli

Advent is coming: it's time to prepare
A review of "The Jesse Box"

Once in a while, Rorate reviews books, calendars and other items for our readers we believe will be beneficial to them or their families, helping them grow in the Faith. We have no agreements with any publisher and receive no compensation whatsoever.

For today's review, we think back to the Advent seasons of the past, and trying to figure out how to instill the beauty of Advent in our children by teaching the ancestry of Jesus. For our family, it means going out to the yard, finding an awkwardly-shaped branch, then trying to figure out how to stand it upright for our children to create their Jesse Tree. Then, how to keep it low enough for the older children to adorn it, yet high enough for the little ones not to destroy it!

Now, Angelus Press has sent us a much-needed solution: The Jesse Box.


Before we say anything more, this short video really captures the essence of this remarkable product, that our children are very excited to start using in a few weeks:

 
The first thing we noticed when we received the package is the high physical quality. The box is durable and all pieces are made of solid wood.
 
 
The inside boxes which hold the material are also very sturdy as is the strapping which keeps them connected.
 
 
The boxes above turn into a "mini theatre" and includes the background scenes and props that finish the theater. We would include pictures of this already created, but then our children wouldn't be very happy with us, as they want to create it for Advent! But you can see a more finished theater here.
 
The Box includes:
  • 1 diorama or mini theatre
  • 11 wooden cones 
  • 9 wooden animals
  • Background scenes, characters, and props for two stories: The Nativity, and Easter
  • A booklet guide for each story (you can substitute your own version of the stories if you wish)
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    You will also get a passcode that will allow access on a website for different items including future stories.