Some Like It Hot: The Argument Against Frosty Festivities Pale in Comparison to a Sunny Season's Celebration.
If we have learned anything from the influx of holiday movies, mass-produced decorations, and festively themed songs, it's that the cultural zeitgeist has decreed Christmas is a holiday best served chilly. So they say!
The bigwigs residing above the equator may have convinced the world, but that's only because they are without the inherent understanding we southern hemisphere folk possess: a warm Christmas is simply the better way. This season is stressful enough – regardless 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 an empty claim. I spent my entire childhood enduring cold festive seasons. Despite my family hailing from 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 early nightfall and a crisp sting on my cheeks. The sole silver lining? The fashion choices; layering is inherently stylish.
In all honesty, a cold Christmas has its appeal. It's traditional, classic, and the prospect of snow is truly magical. The cosy charm of a frosty gathering is hard to disregard. 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 replicate.
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 slept soundly that night.
This became our routine for years – celebrating together with family and friends, complete with water gun fights across the table. That was, until my parents heeded the opportunity of a new job and moved to a notoriously chilly part of northern England.
Nostalgia's Surprise
Visiting them for Christmas after a long absence, I expected a surge of nostalgic longing. Instead, I found myself yearning for everything that made a summer Christmas special. Sipping sangria in the sun. Noshing on piles of fresh fruit. Loved ones being just a phone call away. Vibrant sunsets stretched across the sky. In that moment, I was a summer celebration advocate.
"The warmth eased the grief in monumental 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 incredibly tough, his loss palpable everywhere. Yet, being once more surrounded by family under the gentle heat of the summer sun helped ease the grief in profound ways.
A Self-Proclaimed Hypocrite
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 fluffiest coat, hoping for a snowfall. The frosty festive ideal still has a little hold on me!
Still, I'm keen to return home for another New Year's Day under the bright southern sun. Knowing my family – including a newest member – will be close by as we enter the new year fills me with a joy my younger self always yearned for. Not even the fluffiest snow can compare to that feeling.
