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

Should we have learned anything from the influx of holiday movies, ubiquitous decorations, and festively themed songs, it's that the cultural zeitgeist has decreed Christmas is a holiday best served frosty. Is that so?

The bigwigs in the top of the equator may have convinced the world, but that's only because they lack the innate knowledge we southern hemisphere folk possess: a sun-drenched 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.

Frosty Formative Years

And this isn't just an empty claim. I spent my entire childhood 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 dark skies by 4pm and a biting chill on my cheeks. The sole silver lining? The style options; layering is effortlessly chic.

In all honesty, a cold Christmas has its charms. It's time-honored, iconic, and the prospect of snow is truly enchanting. The snug appeal of a frosty gathering 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 proper festive family affair, joined by extended relatives for the first time. With a bigger crowd to entertain, my father got experimental in the kitchen, crafting a heavily marinated vodka jelly that left everyone reeling. We slept soundly that night.

This became our routine for years – celebrating together 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 fond remembrance. 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 short drive away. Vibrant sunsets painting the sky. Suddenly, I was a summer celebration advocate.

"That summer heat eased the grief in significant 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 soft warmth of the summer sun alleviated the grief in profound 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 wander around Seoul in my fluffiest coat, hoping for a snowfall. The frosty festive ideal still has a little hold on me!

Still, I'm eager to return home for another New Year's Day under the bright southern sun. Knowing my family – including a newborn nephew – will be nearby as we enter the new year fills me with a happiness my younger self always yearned for. Not even the deepest powder can hold a candle to that feeling.