Some Like It Hot: Why Cold Christmases Pale in Comparison to a Sunny Season's Celebration.

Should we have gleaned anything from the deluge of holiday movies, mass-produced decorations, and jingle bell-infused songs, it's that the popular narrative has decreed 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 inherent understanding we denizens of the south possess: a warm Christmas is simply superior. This season is fraught enough – regardless 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 an empty claim. I spent my entire childhood experiencing cold festive seasons. Despite my family originating in New Zealand, my father's career led to 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 silver lining? The style options; bundling up is effortlessly chic.

In all honesty, a cold Christmas has its appeal. It's traditional, iconic, and the prospect of snow is undeniably 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 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 proper 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 heavily marinated vodka jelly that left everyone reeling. We all slept well that night.

This became our tradition for years – sharing the day 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 expected a wave of fond remembrance. Instead, I found myself missing everything that made a summer Christmas special. Enjoying a cool drink in the sun. Feasting upon piles of fresh fruit. Loved ones being just a short drive away. Hot-pink sunsets stretched across the sky. Suddenly, I was a hot-Christmas convert.

"That summer heat soothed the sorrow in significant ways."

This feeling was cemented after my father passed away. My mother decided to return home to New Zealand. The first Christmas without him was profoundly difficult, his absence felt everywhere. Yet, being once again surrounded by family under the gentle heat of the summer sun helped ease the grief in profound ways.

Conflicting Celebrations

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 genuinely excited to explore Seoul in my warmest jacket, 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 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 yearned for. Not even the deepest powder can compare to that feeling.