The Case for Heat: Why Cold Christmases Pale in Comparison to Celebrating in Summer.

If 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. 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 inherent understanding we denizens of the south 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 experiencing 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 style options; layering is effortlessly chic.

In fairness, a cold Christmas has its charms. It's traditional, classic, and the prospect of snow is truly 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 true celebration that not even the most decadent hot chocolate could replicate.

The Southern Shift

Everything changed when another move brought my family to Australia. There, I finally experienced a full festive family affair, joined by more family for the first time. With a bigger crowd to entertain, my father got experimental in the kitchen, crafting 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 anticipated a surge of nostalgic longing. Instead, I found myself yearning for everything that made a summer Christmas special. 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 hot-Christmas convert.

"That summer heat 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 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 spending Christmas during winter in South Korea, and I'm genuinely excited to wander around Seoul in my fluffiest coat, hoping for a glimpse of snow. 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 Australian summer sun. Knowing my family – including a newborn nephew – 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.