The Case for Heat: Why Cold Christmases Pale in Comparison to a Sunny Season's Celebration.

Should we have gleaned anything from the influx of holiday movies, ubiquitous decorations, and festively themed songs, it's that the popular narrative has decreed Christmas is a holiday best served chilly. Whatever!

The bigwigs in the top of the equator may have sold this idea globally, but that's only because they are without the innate knowledge we southern hemisphere folk possess: a warm Christmas is simply the better way. This season is stressful enough – irrespective of temperature – but at least we don't have to contend with seasonal depression on top of it all.

Frosty Formative Years

And this isn't just hot air. I spent my entire childhood experiencing cold festive seasons. Despite my family originating in New Zealand, my father's career led to inevitable international moves. My younger years were spent in the UK and the US, meaning every December brought dark skies by 4pm and a biting chill on my cheeks. The sole silver lining? The style options; bundling up is effortlessly chic.

In all honesty, a cold Christmas has its charms. It's traditional, iconic, and the prospect of snow is truly magical. The cosy charm of a frosty gathering is hard to dismiss. Yet, with my extended family an ocean away, I always felt I was lacking an true celebration that not even the richest hot chocolate could make up for.

The Southern Shift

Everything changed when another move brought my family to Australia. There, I finally experienced a full festive family affair, joined by more family for the first time. With a bigger crowd to entertain, my father got creative in the kitchen, crafting a heavily marinated vodka jelly that was famously strong. We slept soundly that night.

This became our tradition for years – celebrating together with family and friends, complete with playful battles across the table. That was, until my parents heeded the opportunity of a new job and moved to a particularly cold part of northern England.

A Revelation in Reverse

Visiting them for Christmas after a long absence, I anticipated a wave of fond remembrance. Instead, I found myself missing everything that made a summer Christmas special. Sipping sangria in the sun. Feasting upon piles of fresh fruit. Loved ones being just a short drive away. Hot-pink sunsets painting the sky. In that moment, I was a hot-Christmas convert.

"That summer heat soothed the sorrow in significant ways."

This feeling was reinforced after my father passed away. My mother decided to return home to New Zealand. The first Christmas without him was profoundly difficult, his absence felt everywhere. Yet, being once again surrounded by family under the soft warmth of the summer sun helped ease the grief in monumental ways.

Conflicting Celebrations

All this said, I must confess to being a walking contradiction. This year, I'll be spending Christmas during winter in South Korea, and I'm truly looking forward to wander around Seoul in my warmest jacket, hoping for a snowfall. The frosty festive ideal still has a slight grip on me!

Still, I'm eager to return home for another New Year's Day under the bright southern sun. Knowing my family – including a newborn nephew – will be close by as we enter the new year fills me with a happiness my younger self always yearned for. Not even the deepest powder can hold a candle to that feeling.