🔗 Share this article Some Like It Hot: Why Cold Christmases Pale in Comparison to a Sunny Season's Celebration. If we have gleaned anything from the deluge of holiday movies, mass-produced decorations, and festively themed songs, it's that the popular narrative has decreed Christmas is a holiday best served chilly. Whatever! The bigwigs residing above the equator may have convinced the world, but that's only because they are without the innate knowledge 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 entire childhood enduring cold festive seasons. Despite my family originating in 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 crisp sting on my cheeks. The sole upside? The style options; layering is effortlessly chic. In fairness, a cold Christmas has its charms. It's time-honored, classic, and the possibility of snow is truly magical. The snug appeal of a chilly celebration is hard to dismiss. Yet, with my extended family an ocean away, I always felt I was missing out an true celebration that not even the richest hot chocolate could replicate. The Southern Shift Everything changed when another move brought my family to Australia. There, I finally experienced a full festive family affair, joined by more family for the first time. With a larger group to entertain, my father got experimental 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 – 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 anticipated a wave of nostalgic longing. Instead, I found myself yearning for 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 short drive away. Vibrant sunsets painting the sky. In that moment, I was a hot-Christmas convert. "The warmth soothed the sorrow 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 absence felt everywhere. Yet, being once more 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 wander around Seoul in my warmest jacket, hoping for a glimpse of snow. The frosty festive ideal still has a little hold on me! Still, 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 nearby as we enter the new year fills me with a joy my younger self always craved. Not even the fluffiest snow can hold a candle to that feeling.
If we have gleaned anything from the deluge of holiday movies, mass-produced decorations, and festively themed songs, it's that the popular narrative has decreed Christmas is a holiday best served chilly. Whatever! The bigwigs residing above the equator may have convinced the world, but that's only because they are without the innate knowledge 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 entire childhood enduring cold festive seasons. Despite my family originating in 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 crisp sting on my cheeks. The sole upside? The style options; layering is effortlessly chic. In fairness, a cold Christmas has its charms. It's time-honored, classic, and the possibility of snow is truly magical. The snug appeal of a chilly celebration is hard to dismiss. Yet, with my extended family an ocean away, I always felt I was missing out an true celebration that not even the richest hot chocolate could replicate. The Southern Shift Everything changed when another move brought my family to Australia. There, I finally experienced a full festive family affair, joined by more family for the first time. With a larger group to entertain, my father got experimental 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 – 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 anticipated a wave of nostalgic longing. Instead, I found myself yearning for 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 short drive away. Vibrant sunsets painting the sky. In that moment, I was a hot-Christmas convert. "The warmth soothed the sorrow 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 absence felt everywhere. Yet, being once more 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 wander around Seoul in my warmest jacket, hoping for a glimpse of snow. The frosty festive ideal still has a little hold on me! Still, 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 nearby as we enter the new year fills me with a joy my younger self always craved. Not even the fluffiest snow can hold a candle to that feeling.