🔗 Share this article Why Warmth Wins: Why Cold Christmases 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 cultural zeitgeist has determined Christmas is a holiday best served frosty. So they say! The powers that be 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 sun-drenched Christmas is simply superior. This season is stressful enough – regardless 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 entire childhood 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 fashion choices; layering is inherently stylish. In all honesty, a cold Christmas has its appeal. It's traditional, iconic, and the possibility of snow is truly enchanting. The snug appeal of a chilly celebration 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 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 larger group to entertain, my father got creative 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 – 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 surge of nostalgic longing. Instead, I found myself missing everything that made a summer Christmas unique. Sipping sangria in the sun. Noshing on piles of fresh fruit. Loved ones being just a phone call away. Vibrant sunsets painting the sky. Suddenly, I was a summer celebration advocate. "The warmth soothed the sorrow 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 more surrounded by family under the soft warmth of the summer sun helped ease the grief in profound 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 wander around Seoul in my fluffiest coat, hoping for a snowfall. 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 bright southern sun. Knowing my family – including a newest member – will be nearby as we enter the new year fills me with a happiness my younger self always craved. Not even the fluffiest snow can hold a candle to that feeling.
Should we have learned anything from the influx of holiday movies, mass-produced decorations, and festively themed songs, it's that the cultural zeitgeist has determined Christmas is a holiday best served frosty. So they say! The powers that be 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 sun-drenched Christmas is simply superior. This season is stressful enough – regardless 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 entire childhood 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 fashion choices; layering is inherently stylish. In all honesty, a cold Christmas has its appeal. It's traditional, iconic, and the possibility of snow is truly enchanting. The snug appeal of a chilly celebration 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 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 larger group to entertain, my father got creative 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 – 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 surge of nostalgic longing. Instead, I found myself missing everything that made a summer Christmas unique. Sipping sangria in the sun. Noshing on piles of fresh fruit. Loved ones being just a phone call away. Vibrant sunsets painting the sky. Suddenly, I was a summer celebration advocate. "The warmth soothed the sorrow 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 more surrounded by family under the soft warmth of the summer sun helped ease the grief in profound 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 wander around Seoul in my fluffiest coat, hoping for a snowfall. 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 bright southern sun. Knowing my family – including a newest member – will be nearby as we enter the new year fills me with a happiness my younger self always craved. Not even the fluffiest snow can hold a candle to that feeling.