Definitely climate plays a huge part in Xmas festivities. Here in North America it is all about the trips to the mall to overload on presents and then on Xmas say it is the overload of food. One of my nicest, low key Christmas'es was in South Africa. The lovely hotels had one aesathetic decorated tree in a corner and that was about it---no hype, no noise, no crazed guests drunk form egg nog---so sane the whole time.
Consumerism has destroyed Christmas.