The Case for Heat: Why Cold Christmases Are a Feeble Imitation to Celebrating in Summer.
Should we have gleaned anything from the influx of holiday movies, ubiquitous decorations, and festively themed songs, it's that the popular narrative has decreed Christmas is a holiday best served cold. So they say!
The powers that be in the top of the equator may have sold this idea globally, but that's only because they lack the inherent understanding we denizens of the south possess: a warm 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 entire childhood enduring cold festive seasons. Despite my family originating in New Zealand, my father's career led to inevitable international moves. My younger years were scattered across the UK and the US, meaning every December brought early nightfall and a crisp sting on my cheeks. The sole upside? The fashion choices; layering is effortlessly chic.
In fairness, a cold Christmas has its appeal. It's time-honored, classic, and the possibility of snow is undeniably enchanting. The snug appeal of a frosty gathering is hard to dismiss. Yet, with my extended family on the other side of the world, I always felt I was lacking an true 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 experimental in the kitchen, concocting a potent vodka jelly that was famously strong. 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 answered the call of a new job and moved to a particularly cold part of northern England.
Nostalgia's Surprise
Visiting them for Christmas after a long absence, I anticipated a surge of fond remembrance. Instead, I found myself yearning for everything that made a summer Christmas unique. Enjoying a cool drink in the sun. Noshing on piles of fresh fruit. Loved ones being just a short drive away. Hot-pink sunsets painting the sky. In that moment, 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 loss palpable everywhere. Yet, being once more surrounded by family under the soft warmth of the summer sun helped ease the grief in profound ways.
A Self-Proclaimed Hypocrite
All this said, I readily admit to being a massive hypocrite. This year, I'll be celebrating during winter in South Korea, and I'm genuinely excited to wander around Seoul in my warmest jacket, hoping for a glimpse of snow. The cold Christmas propaganda 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 newborn nephew – will be close by as we enter the new year fills me with a joy my younger self always yearned for. Not even the deepest powder can compare to that feeling.
