Some Like It Hot: Why Cold Christmases Pale in Comparison to a Sunny Season's Celebration.

If we have gleaned anything from the influx of holiday movies, mass-produced decorations, and festively themed songs, it's that the cultural zeitgeist has decreed Christmas is a holiday best served frosty. Whatever!

The bigwigs in the top of the equator may have sold this idea globally, but that's only because they are without the innate knowledge we southern hemisphere folk possess: a sun-drenched Christmas is simply superior. This season is fraught enough – regardless 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 an empty claim. 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 silver lining? The fashion choices; bundling up is inherently stylish.

In all honesty, a cold Christmas has its appeal. It's traditional, classic, and the prospect of snow is undeniably enchanting. The snug appeal 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 lacking 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 proper festive family affair, joined by more family for the first time. With a bigger crowd to entertain, my father got creative in the kitchen, concocting a potent vodka jelly that was famously strong. 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.

A Revelation in Reverse

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 special. Enjoying a cool drink in the sun. Noshing on piles of fresh fruit. Loved ones being just a phone call away. Vibrant sunsets stretched across 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 loss palpable everywhere. Yet, being once again surrounded by family under the soft warmth of the summer sun helped ease the grief in monumental ways.

A Self-Proclaimed Hypocrite

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 cold Christmas propaganda still has a slight grip on me!

Still, I'm eager 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 yearned for. Not even the deepest powder can compare to that feeling.