Bow Tree

As a child, I truly knew Christmas was coming because my grandparent's bow tree would be sitting in all its magnificent glory on the hall credenza. It glistened with every color of the season, plus a few metallic beauties that put the other more ordinary bows to shame.

Once upon a time, they had a real tree, I know because I appeared in chilhood photos next to it. But I personally don't remember any such animal. My recollection is only of the fabulous bow tree.

After my grandparents passed on, there was some question between my three sisters and I about who would inherit the bow tree. Granted, it had lost some of its luster over the years and it's true that it wasn't quite as shiny as it once was. Still for me, the oldest grandchild, it could never belong to anyone else.

For many years now, during the Christmas holiday, the bow tree has held a place of honor on my kitchen table, much to the dismay of my family and friends who asked that it be moved during dinner. I can't blame them, the tree is two feet tall and ten inches around, not including the bows.

This year I decided to redo the whole tree. Thirty plus years had left it faded and frayed and flat. I assumed that two hours would be enough to finish the whole job. Wrong! Six hours later, I finally finished. My ends of my fingers were numb and sore from all the wire twisting and poking and prodding I had to do to put the new bows into place. But it's finished and it looks great!

From now on, the bow tree will be stored right side up, and with a strong protective dust cover. I need this current tree to last for another thirty years. After all, maybe someday the fabulous, magnificent, glittering bow tree will be passed on to the next generation.