Why Warmth Wins: The Argument Against Frosty Festivities 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 jingle bell-infused songs, it's that the cultural zeitgeist has decreed Christmas is a holiday best served chilly. So they say!

The powers that be residing above the equator may have convinced the world, but that's only because they are without the innate knowledge we denizens of the south possess: a warm Christmas is simply the better way. This season is fraught enough – irrespective of temperature – but at least we don't have to battle 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 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 early nightfall and a crisp sting on my cheeks. The sole upside? The style options; bundling up is effortlessly chic.

In fairness, a cold Christmas has its charms. It's time-honored, classic, and the prospect of snow is truly magical. The cosy charm of a frosty gathering is hard to dismiss. 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 richest hot chocolate could make up for.

The Southern Shift

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 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. 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.

"The warmth eased the grief in significant 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 monumental ways.

Conflicting Celebrations

All this said, I must confess to being a walking contradiction. This year, I'll be celebrating during winter in South Korea, and I'm truly looking forward to explore Seoul in my warmest jacket, hoping for a snowfall. The frosty festive ideal 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 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 fluffiest snow can hold a candle to that feeling.