Why Warmth Wins: Why Cold Christmases Are a Feeble Imitation to a Sunny Season's Celebration.
If we have learned anything from the deluge of holiday movies, mass-produced decorations, and festively themed songs, it's that the popular narrative has determined Christmas is a holiday best served cold. So they say!
The bigwigs in the top of the equator may have convinced the world, but that's only because they lack the innate knowledge we southern hemisphere folk possess: a sun-drenched Christmas is simply superior. This season is stressful enough – regardless 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 an empty claim. 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 dark skies by 4pm and a biting chill on my cheeks. The sole silver lining? The fashion choices; bundling up is effortlessly chic.
In all honesty, a cold Christmas has its charms. It's time-honored, iconic, and the possibility of snow is truly 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 lacking an true celebration that not even the most decadent hot chocolate could make up for.
The Southern Shift
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 larger group to entertain, my father got creative in the kitchen, concocting a heavily marinated 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 answered the call 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 wave of nostalgic longing. Instead, I found myself yearning for everything that made a summer Christmas unique. Sipping sangria in the sun. Feasting upon piles of fresh fruit. Loved ones being just a phone call away. Vibrant sunsets stretched across the sky. Suddenly, 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 profoundly difficult, his loss palpable everywhere. Yet, being once more surrounded by family under the gentle heat of the summer sun helped ease the grief in monumental ways.
A Self-Proclaimed Hypocrite
All this said, I readily admit to being a walking contradiction. This year, I'll be celebrating during winter in South Korea, and I'm truly looking forward to explore Seoul in my warmest jacket, hoping for a glimpse of snow. The cold Christmas propaganda still has a little hold on me!
Nevertheless, I'm keen to return home for another New Year's Day under the Australian summer 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 hold a candle to that feeling.
