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 influx of holiday movies, ubiquitous decorations, and jingle bell-infused songs, it's that the cultural zeitgeist has decreed Christmas is a holiday best served cold. Whatever!

The powers that be residing above the equator may have convinced the world, but that's only because they lack the inherent understanding we denizens of the south possess: a sun-drenched Christmas is simply the better way. This season is stressful enough – irrespective of temperature – but at least we don't have to contend with seasonal depression on top of it all.

A Chilly Childhood

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 crisp sting on my cheeks. The sole upside? The fashion choices; layering is effortlessly chic.

In fairness, a cold Christmas has its appeal. It's time-honored, iconic, and the possibility of snow is undeniably magical. 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 most decadent 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 extended relatives 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 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 answered the call of a new job and moved to a particularly cold 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 unique. Sipping sangria in the sun. Noshing on piles of fresh fruit. Loved ones being just a phone call away. Hot-pink sunsets stretched across the sky. In that moment, I was a hot-Christmas convert.

"That summer heat soothed the sorrow in significant ways."

This feeling was cemented 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 gentle heat of the summer sun alleviated the grief in profound 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 explore Seoul in my warmest jacket, hoping for a snowfall. The frosty festive ideal still has a little hold on me!

Nevertheless, 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 joy my younger self always craved. Not even the deepest powder can compare to that feeling.