The Case for Heat: Why Cold Christmases Are a Feeble Imitation to a Sunny Season's Celebration.
If 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 cold. Whatever!
The bigwigs residing above the equator may have sold this idea globally, but that's only because they lack the innate knowledge we southern hemisphere folk possess: a warm Christmas is simply superior. This season is fraught enough – irrespective of temperature – but at least we don't have to battle seasonal depression on top of it all.
Frosty Formative Years
And this isn't just an empty claim. I spent my entire childhood enduring cold festive seasons. Despite my family hailing from New Zealand, my father's career meant inevitable international moves. My younger years were spent in the UK and the US, meaning every December brought early nightfall and a biting chill on my cheeks. The sole upside? The fashion choices; bundling up is inherently stylish.
In fairness, a cold Christmas has its charms. It's time-honored, iconic, and the possibility of snow is undeniably enchanting. The cosy charm of a chilly celebration is hard to dismiss. Yet, with my extended family an ocean away, I always felt I was lacking an authentic celebration that not even the richest hot chocolate could make up for.
A Move to Summer
Everything changed when another move brought my family to Australia. There, I finally experienced a full festive family affair, joined by extended relatives for the first time. With a bigger crowd to entertain, my father got creative in the kitchen, concocting a potent vodka jelly that left everyone reeling. We all slept well that night.
This became our routine for years – sharing the day with family and friends, complete with water gun fights across the table. That was, until my parents answered the call of a new job and moved to a particularly cold part of northern England.
Nostalgia's Surprise
Visiting them for Christmas after a long absence, I anticipated a surge of fond remembrance. Instead, I found myself yearning for 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 summer celebration advocate.
"The warmth soothed the sorrow in monumental ways."
This feeling was reinforced after my father passed away. My mother decided to move back to New Zealand. The first Christmas without him was profoundly difficult, his absence felt everywhere. Yet, being once again surrounded by family under the gentle heat of the summer sun alleviated the grief in monumental ways.
Conflicting Celebrations
All this said, I readily admit to being a massive hypocrite. 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 cold Christmas propaganda still has a little hold on me!
Nevertheless, I'm keen to return home for another New Year's Day under the bright southern sun. Knowing my family – including a newborn nephew – will be nearby as we enter the new year fills me with a happiness my younger self always yearned for. Not even the deepest powder can compare to that feeling.
