5 Times Video Games Got Me Into the Christmas Spirit

When I think about it, I don’t recall too many moments in video games that made me feel like it was Christmas. But totally not obvious foreshadowing aside, there are a handful of times where games made me feel like setting up the Christmas tree.

It’d be easy just to name some random snow levels and be done with it. But I’m not going to do that. The contenders for this list all have at least some kind of Christmas vibe to them aside from just being located in snowy tundras.

How I got on Fortnite’s naughty list — Fortnite

My friends and I make a tradition out of playing games together every weekend. Primarily Fortnite. As I was considering what to include in this post, I had a faint memory of one of our play sessions last December. During Fortnite’s Winterfest, the developers had a few non-player-characters driving around the map and gifting players with items.

To my recollection, I briefly considered blowing them up but thought better of it in the spirit of the season. This was debunked when I asked my friends about it.

Apparently, the NPCs drove too fast for me to reach them in time to partake of their holiday cheer. I took exception to that. I began to shoot at them as an act of retribution and supposedly attempted to set them on fire. As my friends relayed these events to me, my faint memory suddenly became a lot clearer. I thought, “Yeah. That sounds like something I would do.”

So really, Fortnite almost got me in the Christmas spirit but opted to do the exact opposite instead. So a word to the wise: if you’re going to drive around throwing presents at people, drive slowly. Some people are a little sensitive.

Mario falls into a hole — Super Mario Odyssey

This next one comes from Super Mario Odyssey, a game that’s more my speed. It has a fairly standard snow level. Nothing too fantastical. Just a snowy crater with a raging blizzard housed within. Naturally my first impulse was to find shelter. And upon finding a deep hole in the ground, I decided the logical solution was to jump in without any thought to the consequences.

Well apparently that was a pretty smart move. Upon reaching the bottom, I was greeted with the beautiful town of Shiveria.

While it’s not Christmas themed per se, everything about it oozes the feel of a ski lodge. A ski lodge filled up with snow that is. The Shiverians will give anyone who isn’t Bowser a warm welcome and hold racing competitions. They wouldn’t let me participate on account of being a human, but I got around this by using Mario’s capture ability to possess a random bystander. It’s not terrifying if you don’t think about it.

Of course, food is an important part of the festivities. Luckily, Shiveria’s got that covered too with its prized Frost Frosted Cake. And boy does it look tasty! Unfortunately I couldn’t find a decent picture of it so you’re going to have to play the game for yourself!

Visiting this little town always gives me that warm fuzzy feeling that only comes around Christmas time. Or anytime that I decide to fire up Super Mario Odyssey and visit this very specific location. Now that I think about it, it’s time I give this gem of a game another playthrough.

Banjo and Kazooie steal Santa’s job — Banjo Kazooie

Anyone who has played Banjo Kazooie will likely have many fond memories of the game. And for me, a lot of those memories come from the Christmas themed level, Freezeezy Peak.

The entire level is one magical winter wonderland complete with a giant Christmas tree, piles of presents, and angry snowmen who want to kill you. I never said it was perfect.

There’s tons of different activities in this level that could take this spot on the list. Like lighting up the tree and exploring inside or scaling a snowman the size of a mountain. But my top pick would have to be the present hunt.

If you look around a bit upon first entering Freezeezy Peak, you’ll notice an igloo. Inside are three polar bear cubs crying because they lost their presents. So off you go! It’s not exactly difficult, just a basic fetch quest. But any excuse to explore this level further is a good one. Plus it feels nice to see the cubs laughing and smiling once you return their gifts to them.

(Snapshots taken from Packattack04082 on YouTube)

Of course, due to the camera angle, it’s easy to miss the igloo upon entering the level. In fact, you’re more likely to find it on your way out. So if anyone saves and quits before leaving, sorry kids. No presents for you this year.

Delivering presents while the world ends — Final Fantasy 14

Final Fantasy 14 is an MMO set in my favorite fictional world of all time: Eorzea. I wouldn’t want to live there though. Why? Because someone or something tries to start the apocalypse every other week. Sometimes great catastrophes overlap one another and you’re forced to decide which world ending event requires your attention first.

But even with certain death on the horizon, players can still take a breather with the annual Starlight Celebration.

No one’s fooled by the name though. It’s basically Christmas. Every major hub in the game is decked with lights and wreaths. Their epic fantasy themes are replaced with quiet and gentle music that make you feel warm despite the cold. Finally, players can access a side quest that allows them to don Santa costumes and deliver presents to everyone on the nice list.

It isn’t much different from any other standard “go here and talk to this person” side quest, but as the saying goes, it’s the thought that counts.

Given the desperate situation Eorzea is always in, some might call this irresponsible. Fortunately, the villains of Final Fantasy 14 are very understanding. Knowing what time of year it is, they simply stay in their lairs and wait for the event to end. Thank you strangely considerate eldritch monsters!

A Christmas Carol but I ruined it — Runescape

I have so many great memories of playing Runescape back in the late 2000s and early 2010s. The game had a sense of depth and adventure to it that no other game has quite been able to replicate. One of my favorite memories involves the Christmas event the developers threw in 2009.

Unlike Final Fantasy 14’s holiday event, the developers went all in on creating a big blowout quest for players to enjoy. Upon showing up to the Land of snow for a banquet, I found myself wrapped up in a rescue op. Rescue whom you ask? Santa. That’s right, some dark wizard kidnapped Santa. That’s pretty messed up, and this is coming from a guy who tried to set friendly Fortnite NPCs on fire.

So after donning a spooky cloak, I had to be the ghosts to the dark wizard’s Scrooge. I don’t recall that I was the most convincing spirit, but I got the job done. And once Santa was safe and sound, I got to enjoy the festivities with the rest of the players!

(Snapshot taken from runescape.fandom.com)

Everything about the event was so much fun. Even when the quest was finished, I got treated to a celebration of epic proportions! There were endless plates of food to enjoy and snowball fights to be had with fellow players. That was a pretty big deal for me at the time. Runescape’s community wasn’t particularly welcoming when I logged on for the first time. Perhaps even a bit toxic. So being able to put petty arguments about skills and gear aside to goof around with everyone warmed my icy heart.

And here’s the kicker: the entire quest including the area it’s in and the wacky items you get as a reward were only accessible that year. That might stink for players who couldn’t make it, but it also made it that much more special for those who did. Whenever I think of Runescape, I look back at this event and get a big smile on my face.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Those are some of my favorite gaming Christmas memories. But what about you? If you have any of your own, I’d love to hear about them! Let me know what you think and we’ll talk for a bit. And one more thing! Merry Christmas!