As the holiday season approaches, the traditional image of a snow-covered Christmas might become increasingly elusive. The effects of climate change aren’t limited to snowfall, however, as they ripple through various aspects of the festive season, from the cost of Christmas trees to the survival of reindeer.
How is holiday weather changing?
Climate change is contributing to rising temperatures across the country, altering precipitation patterns, according to Time. Over the past 75 years, December temperatures have increased by three to five degrees nationwide, as noted by David Robinson, a climatologist from New Jersey and a professor at Rutgers University. This temperature increase could mean the difference between snow and rain on Christmas Day. From 2003 to 2024, an average of only 36% of the contiguous U.S. experienced snow cover on Christmas morning, based on data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Memory may also play a role in how people perceive Christmas weather. As Robinson told Time, individuals “tend to remember that one snowy Christmas, and they forget that it was surrounded by five Christmases that weren’t.”
What else is impacted?
Beyond weather changes, climate change is affecting various commodities associated with Christmas. For example, cocoa production in African countries has been impacted by decreasing cacao yields, which Harvard University’s Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability describes as indicative of a “new normal in a climate-driven shift.” These changes affect holiday favorites such as yule log cakes and marshmallow-topped cocoa.
The Christmas tree industry is facing challenges as well. Growing conditions are changing due to climate, and high land costs are affecting tree farming. As Kelsey Leonard from Canada’s University of Waterloo told CBC News, the industry is transforming under modern-day circumstances. Although plastic trees might seem like a viable alternative, they have environmental drawbacks, being primarily made from fossil fuel-derived plastics.
Even iconic Christmas figures like Rudolph may not escape the effects of climate change. A study published in the journal Science predicts a potential 50% reduction in the global reindeer population by the century’s end, with North America possibly facing losses exceeding 80%. This decline poses a significant threat to the only deer species adapted to year-round Arctic life.
Original Story at theweek.com