Imagine a Christmas that's mild and slightly damp, just like the ones we've always known. But here's the twist: we're all about to become like Ariana Grande, embracing the fantasy of winter traditions despite the lack of snow. In her hit song, 'Winter Things', Grande sings about feeling like it's mid-July under the sun, yet her desire for cozy romance drives her to indulge in winter activities. It's a relatable dilemma, as many festive songs address the disconnect between reality and the idealized Christmas we often imagine.
Take 'Mele Kalikimaka', a 1949 tune that greets Christmas from the sunny shores of Hawaii, where palm trees sway and the holiday spirit is bright. Similarly, Kylie Minogue's '100 Degrees' from 2015 plays to both hemispheres, asserting that Christmas is still Christmas, whether it's mulled wine or cocktail time. Tim Minchin's 'White Wine in the Sun' from 2009 is another example, celebrating an Australian family Christmas with a title that speaks for itself.
However, some songs take a different approach, detaching the temperature from external conditions and linking it to the presence of another person. Julie London's 'Warm December' from 1956 is a prime example, suggesting that her arms are a kind of oven. Meanwhile, the Pet Shop Boys' 'It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas' from 1997 tackles the great weather lie we often go along with in this part of the world. Neil Tennant sings about the rarity of snow at Christmas, but his solution is to stay close to someone special, creating a warm glow despite the lack of snow.
One of the most iconic Christmas songs, 'White Christmas' by Bing Crosby, is a product of Irving Berlin's personal longing for his New York home while spending Christmas in Beverly Hills in 1937. Released during World War II, it became the definitive template for festive nostalgia. The idea of a proper Christmas involving snow is deeply ingrained in our cultural imagination, as evidenced by Norah Jones and Laufey's 'Better Than Snow', where someone is informed that Christmas with them is better than snow.
However, the reality in Ireland is quite different. Since 2010, there hasn't been a white Christmas, and no child can remember one. Any yearning for snowy Christmases among adults is more influenced by the combined efforts of Berlin, Charles Dickens, and George Michael than by our actual experience of snow. As the planet warms, those mid-century American Christmas songs will sound increasingly out of place to those longing for a snowy chalet experience.
Ariana Grande's 'Winter Things' concludes with a romantic suggestion: 'We can be wherever if we visualize.' While it's a beautiful thought, it's unlikely that Dublin will transform into a marshmallow world without significant visualization or a lot of hot chocolate. In the midst of a low sun and a scarf-strangling breeze on Grafton Street, it's clear that we're not walking in a winter wonderland and would rather avoid hearing that song.
In the end, we'll continue to dream of a mild and slightly damp Christmas, just like the ones we've always known, even if the reality is far from a snowy wonderland.
