The Case for Heat: The Argument Against Frosty Festivities Are a Feeble Imitation to a Sunny Season's Celebration.
If we have learned 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. So they say!
The powers that be in the top of the equator may have sold this idea globally, but that's only because they are without the inherent understanding 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 contend with seasonal depression on top of it all.
Frosty Formative Years
And this isn't just hot air. 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 style options; bundling up is effortlessly chic.
In fairness, a cold Christmas has its appeal. It's traditional, iconic, and the prospect of snow is truly magical. The cosy charm of a frosty gathering is hard to disregard. Yet, with my extended family on the other side of the world, 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, crafting a heavily marinated vodka jelly that left everyone reeling. We all slept well that night.
This became our tradition for years – celebrating together 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.
A Revelation in Reverse
Visiting them for Christmas after a long absence, I expected a wave of fond remembrance. Instead, I found myself yearning for everything that made a summer Christmas unique. Enjoying a cool drink in the sun. Noshing on piles of fresh fruit. Loved ones being just a short drive away. Vibrant sunsets stretched across the sky. In that moment, I was a summer celebration advocate.
"The warmth eased the grief in significant ways."
This feeling was cemented 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 more surrounded by family under the soft warmth of the summer sun helped ease the grief in monumental ways.
Conflicting Celebrations
All this said, I readily admit to being a massive hypocrite. This year, I'll be celebrating during winter in South Korea, and I'm truly looking forward to explore Seoul in my fluffiest coat, hoping for a glimpse of snow. The cold Christmas propaganda still has a slight grip on me!
Still, I'm eager to return home for another New Year's Day under the Australian summer 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 compare to that feeling.
