It is December yet again and it’s time to gather around with friends, family, and loved ones to celebrate the holiday season. This Christmas brings with it festivities virtual and real. Around these parts we say RL (real-life) before RS or RL before online but holiday events in the virtual world can be as important as your real world festivities.
Before we get into how in-game or virtual festivities are so important, we need to have a look at how some games celebrate the Christmas season. The first place we go to is of course RuneScape.
RuneScape has had Christmas events in one form or another for most of its 20+ year history, with only one or two exceptions. These events typically in the past have tasked us with spreading Christmas cheer and celebrating the holiday season.
Talk to any seasoned RuneScape veteran and they will tell you about their favourite Christmas in RuneScape. As soon as December rolled around it was a question of what the year’s Christmas offering would be. Your author remembers fondly 2005, 2018, and 2021 for one reason or another.
2005 saw us making marionettes, making decorations, and decorating the big tree in Varrock. We were rewarded with a collection of hats and scarves that still grace holiday wardrobes in 2023. Why was it so good? The event was simple but it provided atmosphere to augment one’s Christmas celebrations.
2018 brought us Violet is Blue. Violet is Blue took us to the Land of Snow, where we helped Violet, a young child adopted by Yetis, get ready for Christmas. This quest provides a healthy dose of Christmas cheer and when paired with the 2020 sequel, Violet is Blue Too show us what Christmas is truly about.
2021 was a calmer year event-wise in that we didn’t have a quest or new central gathering area but the Grand Exchange was decorated, we received some healthy cosmetics from the festive Yak Track, and players could earn a Golden Partyhat for free. We had just come off the content high of the Elder God Wars and all of this paired together with friends and the festival season made 2021 a year to remember.
2005, 2018, and 2021 all did something unique and new for RuneScape. 2023’s holiday offering one-ups all of these providing some wholesome activities, a new event hub, and Christmas atmosphere taken to the next level.
Overwatch also has a Christmas event that runs through December which sees maps Christmasified and special cosmetic items available for unlock. On the surface this may seem simple but when playing a game you love with 4 of your closest friends the atmosphere makes the experience almost essential to the Christmas experience.
Star Trek Online also offers its players a yearly holiday event. This event is a key component of the holiday season for any Star Trek Online player. The event brings communal activities that Star Trek Online players can participate in to unlock new cosmetics and holiday starship. Much like RuneScape and Overwatch, Star Trek Online’s own event doesn’t make the holiday on its own, it’s the experiences we forge in these virtual worlds.
Virtual worlds were a safe haven in the dark days of 2020. They served as an escape for many and became the gathering place during the holidays. We don’t want to go back to 2020 but the one thing myself and many others took away was that our games and their virtual holiday events are tremendously important.
Without games in 2020 those I shared the holidays with who were often stranded, might not have experienced a Christmas gathering. These gatherings from 2020 onwards in the worlds of RuneScape, Overwatch, and Star Trek Online have carried on and become part of your author’s Christmas traditions. Traditions I consider to be as important as those carried out in real life.
The in-game holiday events were once thought of as just something to do around the holidays. But in recent years your author has personally witnessed numerous people celebrating in-game and surrounding communities as a family would do on Christmas Eve. As we step into more immersive worlds this is something that is only going to become more common.
With this history now in place as we celebrate the holiday season, we hope that our Advent Calendar has become a part of your holiday tradition. The Advent Team looks forward to producing this each and every year with discussions sometimes starting in the summer. Whether it's in RuneScape, another game, or simply within the community, it's a time for all of us to come together for a chat, a live stream, or even just to read an article about holiday events. If this article or our Advent Calendar has enriched your holiday season it has all been worth it.
Rise Above The Disorder
In addition to our collection of holiday events and content, we are proud to announce that we are raising funds for Rise Above The Disorder.
Rise Above the Disorder (RAD) is a charity with a mission to make mental healthcare accessible to everyone, everywhere. RAD connects individuals with therapists, a vital service because finding a therapist can be challenging, especially when you're not feeling your best.
RAD also covers the cost of care for those who cannot afford it. They provide unlimited sessions with fully licensed and carefully vetted mental health professionals, all funded by generous donations.
This year, we kindly ask if you are able and willing to consider making a donation to support Rise Above the Disorder alongside our Advent Calendar. For more information on how to donate, please visit our Tiltify page, or click the button below to donate right away.
Thank you for joining us in spreading the spirit of giving this holiday season, and helping Rise Above the Disorder make a positive impact on mental healthcare for all.