Some Like It Hot: Why Cold Christmases Are a Feeble Imitation to a Sunny Season's Celebration.

Should we have learned anything from the influx of holiday movies, mass-produced decorations, and festively themed songs, it's that the popular narrative has determined Christmas is a holiday best served frosty. Whatever!

The bigwigs in the top of the equator may have convinced the world, but that's only because they lack the inherent understanding we southern hemisphere folk possess: a warm Christmas is simply superior. This season is stressful 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 hot air. I spent my formative years enduring cold festive seasons. Despite my family originating in New Zealand, my father's career meant inevitable international moves. My younger years were scattered across 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, classic, and the prospect of snow is undeniably 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 missing out an authentic 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 proper 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 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 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 nostalgic longing. Instead, I found myself yearning for everything that made a summer Christmas unique. Sipping sangria in the sun. Noshing on piles of fresh fruit. Loved ones being just a short drive away. Vibrant sunsets painting the sky. In that moment, I was a hot-Christmas convert.

"The warmth 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 incredibly tough, his loss palpable everywhere. Yet, being once again surrounded by family under the soft warmth of the summer sun helped ease the grief in profound ways.

Conflicting Celebrations

All this said, I must confess to being a massive hypocrite. This year, I'll be celebrating 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 little hold on me!

Nevertheless, 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 nearby as we enter the new year fills me with a joy my younger self always craved. Not even the deepest powder can compare to that feeling.