The Case for Heat: Why Cold Christmases Are a Feeble Imitation to a Sunny Season's Celebration.

Should we have gleaned anything from the influx of holiday movies, ubiquitous decorations, and jingle bell-infused songs, it's that the popular narrative has decreed Christmas is a holiday best served chilly. Whatever!

The bigwigs residing above the equator may have convinced the world, but that's only because they lack the innate knowledge 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.

A Chilly Childhood

And this isn't just hot air. I spent my formative years enduring 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 style options; bundling up is inherently stylish.

In all honesty, a cold Christmas has its charms. It's traditional, iconic, and the prospect of snow is truly magical. The cosy charm of a frosty gathering is hard to disregard. Yet, with my extended family on the other side of the world, I always felt I was missing out an authentic celebration that not even the most decadent 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 extended relatives for the first time. With a bigger crowd to entertain, my father got creative in the kitchen, crafting a potent vodka jelly that was famously strong. We all slept well 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 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 anticipated a wave of fond remembrance. Instead, I found myself missing everything that made a summer Christmas special. Enjoying a cool drink in the sun. Noshing on piles of fresh fruit. Loved ones being just a phone call away. Hot-pink sunsets stretched across the sky. In that moment, I was a hot-Christmas convert.

"The warmth eased the grief in significant 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 absence felt everywhere. Yet, being once again surrounded by family under the gentle heat of the summer sun alleviated the grief in profound 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 wander around Seoul in my warmest jacket, hoping for a snowfall. The frosty festive ideal still has a slight grip on me!

Nevertheless, I'm eager 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 happiness my younger self always yearned for. Not even the fluffiest snow can hold a candle to that feeling.