The Case for Heat: Why Cold Christmases Are a Feeble Imitation to a Sunny Season's Celebration.
Should we have learned anything from the deluge of holiday movies, mass-produced decorations, and festively themed songs, it's that the cultural zeitgeist has decreed Christmas is a holiday best served cold. So they say!
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 southern hemisphere folk possess: a sun-drenched Christmas is simply the better way. 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 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 early nightfall and a biting chill on my cheeks. The sole silver lining? The style options; layering is effortlessly chic.
In all honesty, a cold Christmas has its appeal. It's traditional, classic, and the prospect of snow is truly magical. The snug appeal 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 true celebration that not even the richest hot chocolate could make up for.
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 larger group to entertain, my father got experimental in the kitchen, concocting a potent vodka jelly that left everyone reeling. We all slept well that night.
This became our routine for years – celebrating together with family and friends, complete with playful battles 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 anticipated a wave of fond remembrance. 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 phone call away. Vibrant sunsets painting the sky. Suddenly, I was a summer celebration advocate.
"That summer heat 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 incredibly tough, his absence felt everywhere. Yet, being once more surrounded by family under the gentle heat of the summer sun alleviated the grief in monumental ways.
Conflicting Celebrations
All this said, I must confess 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 fluffiest coat, hoping for a glimpse of snow. The frosty festive ideal still has a little hold on me!
Still, I'm keen to return home for another New Year's Day under the bright southern 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 deepest powder can compare to that feeling.
