Some Like It Hot: The Argument Against Frosty Festivities Pale in Comparison to a Sunny Season's Celebration.
If we have learned anything from the deluge of holiday movies, mass-produced decorations, and jingle bell-infused songs, it's that the cultural zeitgeist has determined Christmas is a holiday best served frosty. Is that so?
The powers that be in the top of the equator may have sold this idea globally, but that's only because they lack the inherent understanding we southern hemisphere folk possess: a warm Christmas is simply superior. This season is fraught 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 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 effortlessly chic.
In all honesty, a cold Christmas has its charms. It's time-honored, classic, and the possibility of snow is truly magical. 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 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 full festive family affair, joined by extended relatives for the first time. With a bigger crowd to entertain, my father got experimental in the kitchen, concocting a heavily marinated vodka jelly that left everyone reeling. 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 particularly cold part of northern England.
Nostalgia's Surprise
Visiting them for Christmas after a long absence, I expected a wave of nostalgic longing. 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 phone call away. Vibrant sunsets stretched across the sky. Suddenly, I was a hot-Christmas convert.
"That summer heat soothed the sorrow in monumental 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 incredibly tough, his loss palpable everywhere. Yet, being once more surrounded by family under the soft warmth of the summer sun alleviated the grief in profound ways.
Conflicting Celebrations
All this said, I must confess to being a walking contradiction. 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 frosty festive ideal still has a slight grip on me!
Nevertheless, 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 close by as we enter the new year fills me with a happiness my younger self always craved. Not even the deepest powder can compare to that feeling.
