It’s somewhat hidden by its placement in front of the windows on the back side of the house so not too many people knew just how long Angelkeep had a Christmas tree yet standing and decorated. In 2021 the attempted Christmas tree set-up, traditionally on Halloween, was delayed for reasons unrecalled. Laziness comes to mind, but this writer will not own up to that as yet. Senility was not a friendly option “B.”
Regardless, the traditional Angelkeep Christmas tree was well lit ahead of Thanksgiving. Bright LEDs gave the great room ambiance, 24/7. Once the lights were plugged in, they remained lit. Something like a perpetual nightlight, and when you’re a senior with issues, night lighting seemed essential.
When February rolled around, year 2022 no exception, thoughts began to amble toward the inevitable need to finally put away Christmas. Angelkeep’s Christmas indoor lighting season closely reflects that of Daylight Savings Time.
The Christmas tree primarily displayed only snowflakes and sparkling white lights. Thus it really was designed as a continuing Winter Tree, Christ’s birth being the center of the tree-lighted season. It’s a drawn-out season, like the cold winter weather. One seemed to justify the other. After New Year’s Day the Christmas tree easily converted to a Valentine’s Day tree with the addition of pink, white, and red silk roses. This extended the validity of the tree’s function. That’s Angelkeep’s story, and we’re sticking to it when the psychologist from “the home” comes visiting for any institutionalizing diagnosis.
It’s been heard that Indiana officials were considering keeping Daylight Savings Time all year. Duh, why? Standard, to Daylight, to Perpetual Daylight…what’s next? Hoosier Greenwich Mean Time? Government has a way of making changes to personal perfection. They moved holidays falling in the middle of a week to a weekend to lengthen time off. If holidays fell on the weekend…same. So Angelkeep’s Christmas/Winter Bright Lighted Tree was patterned after the brilliant holiday stretch developed by our legislative forefathers. Thus, could it be said that Angelkeep’s Halloween to Valentine’s Lighted Tree a patriotic gesture?
It fell in line with POTUS George Washington’s Birthday. Right? 1950’s fourth-grade history books taught Washington as a cherry tree chopper, honest as Abe, and born on the twenty-second of February, 1732. Since in 2022 the birthday falls on Tuesday, mandatory celebration fell on the twenty-first spot on the calendar, the same day as old Honest Abe. Abe was as honest as he was tall. What would he say today if he had to wait nine more days to blow out his candles and open his gifts?
George too, in reality had even a longer wait. How so? George was never born on the twenty-second. Teachers and textbooks lie, as frequently as politicians, except for “I cannot tell a lie,” General George and “Honest Abe,” of course. Here’s the truth—if you can handle the truth, direct from Angelkeep. By the way, George never chopped down a cherry tree, and his wooden false teeth story also false.
George Washington was born in Virginia on February 11, 1731. It’s true, and that was the precise date on the then-used Julian calendar. The government stepped in about the year 1752 and decided to make some changes, similar to Daylight Savings Time, in a progressive fashion, pushing days forward. Really forward. Like a year and eleven days forward. Great Britain and the American Colonies adopted a new Gregorian calendar. Ping! Suddenly George’s birthday moved ahead to February 22, 1732. Unfortunately George died in 1799. He literally missed one birthday due to the calendar jump of 376 days.
Angelkeep’s lovely niece would say, “Now that’s just wrong!”
Angelkeep might honor George and Abraham by keeping the Angelkeep Christmas/Winter Lighted Tree up until the POTUS Birthday Bash, which was actually nobody’s birthday now that “truth will out.” And “truth will out” suggested that perhaps the Angelkeep Birthday tree should stay up for Shakespeare’s day, in April, unless you adjusted for the Julian calendar, then called May.
That sounds about right. Keep a Birthday Tree lit through to a May Day. Angelkeep’s tree nightlight can keep the path lit for a fellow’s midnight runs to the commode, superficially legislated.
Mr. Daugherty is a Wells County resident who, along with his wife Gwen, enjoy their backyard and have named it “Angelkeep.”
