Some Like It Hot: The Argument Against Frosty Festivities Are a Feeble Imitation to a Sunny Season's Celebration.
Should we have learned 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 cold. Whatever!
The powers that be in the top of the equator may have sold this idea globally, but that's only because they are without the inherent understanding 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.
Frosty Formative Years
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 led to 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 style options; bundling up is inherently stylish.
In fairness, a cold Christmas has its charms. It's traditional, iconic, and the possibility of snow is truly enchanting. The cosy charm of a frosty gathering is hard to disregard. Yet, with my extended family an ocean away, I always felt I was missing out an true celebration that not even the richest hot chocolate could make up for.
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, crafting 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 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.
Nostalgia's Surprise
Visiting them for Christmas after a long absence, I expected a wave of fond remembrance. Instead, I found myself yearning for everything that made a summer Christmas special. Sipping sangria in the sun. Feasting upon piles of fresh fruit. Loved ones being just a phone call away. Hot-pink sunsets painting the sky. In that moment, I was a hot-Christmas convert.
"The warmth soothed the sorrow in monumental 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 more surrounded by family under the gentle heat 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 celebrating during winter in South Korea, and I'm genuinely excited to wander around Seoul in my fluffiest coat, hoping for a snowfall. The cold Christmas propaganda still has a little hold on me!
Still, I'm eager to return home for another New Year's Day under the bright southern 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 yearned for. Not even the deepest powder can hold a candle to that feeling.
