Some Like It Hot: The Argument Against Frosty Festivities Are a Feeble Imitation to Celebrating in Summer.
If we have learned anything from the influx of holiday movies, ubiquitous decorations, and jingle bell-infused songs, it's that the cultural zeitgeist has determined Christmas is a holiday best served frosty. 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 southern hemisphere folk possess: a sun-drenched Christmas is simply the better way. This season is stressful enough – irrespective 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 dark skies by 4pm and a crisp sting on my cheeks. The sole silver lining? The style options; bundling up is effortlessly chic.
In all honesty, a cold Christmas has its charms. It's traditional, classic, and the possibility of snow is undeniably magical. The cosy charm of a chilly celebration is hard to dismiss. Yet, with my extended family on the other side of the world, I always felt I was lacking an authentic celebration that not even the most decadent 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 larger group to entertain, my father got creative 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 heeded the opportunity of a new job and moved to a notoriously chilly part of northern England.
A Revelation in Reverse
Visiting them for Christmas after a long absence, I expected a surge of nostalgic longing. Instead, I found myself missing everything that made a summer Christmas special. Sipping sangria 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 summer celebration advocate.
"That summer heat eased the grief 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 again 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 spending Christmas during winter in South Korea, and I'm genuinely excited to explore Seoul in my warmest jacket, hoping for a glimpse of snow. The cold Christmas propaganda still has a little hold on me!
Nevertheless, 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.