Some Like It Hot: The Argument Against Frosty Festivities Pale in Comparison to a Sunny Season's Celebration.
Should we have gleaned anything from the influx of holiday movies, mass-produced decorations, and festively themed songs, it's that the popular narrative has decreed Christmas is a holiday best served frosty. Is that so?
The powers that be in the top of the equator may have convinced the world, but that's only because they are without the innate knowledge we denizens of the south possess: a sun-drenched 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.
A Chilly Childhood
And this isn't just hot air. I spent my formative years experiencing cold festive seasons. Despite my family hailing from 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 fashion choices; bundling up is effortlessly chic.
In fairness, a cold Christmas has its appeal. It's traditional, iconic, and the prospect of snow is truly enchanting. The cosy charm of a chilly celebration is hard to dismiss. Yet, with my extended family on the other side of the world, 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 full festive family affair, joined by extended relatives for the first time. With a bigger crowd to entertain, my father got experimental in the kitchen, concocting a potent vodka jelly that left everyone reeling. We slept soundly that night.
This became our routine for years – sharing the day 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 notoriously chilly part of northern England.
A Revelation in Reverse
Visiting them for Christmas after a long absence, I expected a surge of nostalgic longing. Instead, I found myself missing 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. Hot-pink sunsets painting the sky. Suddenly, I was a summer celebration advocate.
"The warmth soothed the sorrow in significant 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 loss palpable everywhere. Yet, being once again surrounded by family under the gentle heat of the summer sun helped ease the grief in profound 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 explore Seoul in my warmest jacket, hoping for a snowfall. The cold Christmas propaganda still has a little hold on me!
Nevertheless, I'm eager to return home for another New Year's Day under the Australian summer 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 craved. Not even the fluffiest snow can compare to that feeling.
