Why Warmth Wins: Why Cold Christmases Pale in Comparison to a Sunny Season's Celebration.

If 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 powers that be residing above 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.

A Chilly Childhood

And this isn't just an empty claim. I spent my formative years enduring 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 early nightfall and a crisp sting on my cheeks. The sole upside? The style options; layering is effortlessly chic.

In fairness, a cold Christmas has its charms. It's traditional, iconic, and the prospect of snow is truly magical. The snug appeal 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 lacking an true celebration that not even the richest hot chocolate could replicate.

The Southern Shift

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, concocting a potent 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 anticipated a surge of nostalgic longing. Instead, I found myself missing 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 stretched across the sky. Suddenly, I was a hot-Christmas convert.

"That summer heat 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 soft warmth of the summer sun helped ease the grief in monumental 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 slight grip 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 happiness my younger self always yearned for. Not even the fluffiest snow can compare to that feeling.