KORONER’S KORNER: Your Last Christmas?

What if this were your last Christmas?  Many will think this is a dreary and sad way to start a holiday season article.  But I want you to know how much you mean to others and how much they mean to you.  How will they remember you?  Or, how will you remember them?  This Christmas or last Christmas could be or could have been someone’s last, so be merry and enjoy each other’s company while you can.

I’ve had a busy week.  One day we had three cases in one day.  I’m sure that none of them thought that the last Christmas would be their last Christmas.  Most of them were looking forward to Christmas and no doubt had already purchased gifts to show their love for someone and had their own gifts all wrapped and under the tree.  But now, Christmas will be nonexistent for some and empty for others.

Why do I bring this up?  You can buy everything, even buy (or in reality, borrow) a piece of God’s land.  As Larry Floyd told me, “They’re not making any more land.”  My addition to that would be, “You can’t buy any more time either”.  It’s all free, you just don’t know how much you’ve got.  So, take this time to share your feelings with others.    

Some will be remembered as the one person who always seemed to light up the room when they walked in.  Some will be remembered for things they did that always astonished or shocked people with their daring and seemingly fearless lifestyle.  Some think they will be remembered by how big their bank account was or the fancy car they drove, but you will not be remembered for the stuff you have or the gifts you gave; you will be remembered for the feelings you made others feel.

I actually wrote an article that sits on my laptop entitled, “How Will They Remember You?”  But as I endeavored to assist person after person who was in need this last week, I thought it especially sad that their loved ones had departed just as the holiday season was under full swing.  The loved ones and family left behind will find it especially daunting to try and feel the holiday spirit this year.

There are a few folks who think that “Merry Christmas” might be offensive to some, so they try to be polite and say, “Happy Holidays”.  Their salutations join the list of things we sometimes say and don’t really know the meaning of.  I had a conversation once in college and after a short while I was told, “I didn’t really want to know how you’re feeling.  I was just greeting you.  Don’t you know that’s just what people do to be nice?”  Apparently, I didn’t.  I thought they really cared and wanted to know how I felt…so I told them.

The same goes for some folks who wish you “Happy Holidays!”  Thinking they are being secular, they don’t realize that the word, ‘Holiday’, actually came from Old English according to multiple sources.  ProLingo even states , “…that was first recorded in 950 AD, as hāligdæg (hālig for “holy” and dæg for “day”) and that the first recorded spelling as holiday was in 1460 AD.”

So, I think it’s rather funny that they want to take the ‘Christ’ out of Christmas, but in reality, they unknowingly wish you, ‘Happy Holy Days’.  The same goes for writing ‘Xmas’ instead of Christmas.  They also don’t realize that according to an overwhelming number of sources, the ‘X’ actually stands for the Greek letter ‘chi’.  Dictionary.com states ‘X’ is, “the initial letter in the word Χριστός (Chrīstos). And what does Χριστός mean? “(Jesus) Christ.  ”X has been an acceptable representation of the word Christ for hundreds of years.”

As you go about the holidays, wish others a Happy Holiday or a Merry Christmas and be happy inside that you know what the real meanings are.  Be happy that you haven’t taken the ‘Christ’ out of Christmas.  I’ve taken on a new farewell greeting that is funny to some, but close to their memories of my youth for others, I jokingly tell them, “Well, you know how I drive, so I’ll wish you a Merry Christmas for now, since you never know what the future holds! 😊”

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all from the Coroner’s Office as I try to educate people and hopefully help them to take some of the fear of the unknown out of their life.

Danny Leo Green

Cedar County Coroner