There are video games that are simply associated with Christmas – for a variety of reasons. I will get to the bottom of these for you with very personal examples.
For me, gaming has always been a part of Christmas – both on my wish list and as an extensive pastime. There are games that I play just can’t get around the holidays.
Why it is like that? There are mutliple reasons for this.
Getting in the mood for the festival
Some games make it solely through their settingto provide that Christmas feeling. Their soundtracks are often enough to get me in the mood for the holidays in advance.
Freezeezy Peak from Banjo-Kazooie is with me at the top of the December playlistfollowed closely by Jangle Bells from Donkey Kong Country 3 and Buried in the Snow from Final Fantasy 7.
But I also associate the run-up to Christmas with a flash game called Line Rider from 2006, in which a sled driver sleds along lines he has drawn himself. About ten years later, it gained new fame through impressive YouTube creations of classic songs – be sure to have a look if you don’t know it!
In addition to a game of Line Rider, since last year I’ve also had to put myself in the Christmas spirit through Animal Crossing: New Horizons in advance.
there the so-called festival season starts in December, in which I obsessively shake ornaments from ornate conifers in order to convert even the latest seasonal handicraft instructions into festive decorations and to distract myself from the fact that I really urgently need to get Christmas presents in real life.
Awaken cozy memories through nostalgia
Once the holidays are there, I sink into cozy nostalgia. The games of my childhood give me a certain security, an inner retreat in carefree timesin which I felt unconditionally secure and did not think about tomorrow.
I explicitly associate some of these retro games with Christmas. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, for example, because it conjures up a sweet Christmas scent in my nose. The timeless masterpiece was released in Europe on December 11, 1998, when a fragrant gingerbread house adorned my nursery.
From this year I can enjoy Ocarina of Time on my Switch with the help of the expansion pack from Nintendo Switch Online. Here is the trailer for the expansion package:
The “Donkey Kong Country” series is one of them for me. One of my countless memories of the show is how my grandpa cheered me on playing the first part when my grandparents were visiting us over the holidays. Also my joy about it, DKC2 and later Donkey Kong 64 to be found under the Christmas treeI will never forget.
Years later, a completely unexpected Christmas present for me was the PlayStation 2 together with Final Fantasy X. My grandma and parents had merged for this and gave me an unforgettable Christmas Eve in 2002.
Even the intro sequence from FFX can still do it today, in me the incredible feeling of gratitude and elicit the amazed comments from my family.
The same goes for the beginning of The Curse of Monkey Island. In order for the adventure to run on our PC in the first place, my parents had to spend half a fortune on a new graphics card as a second Christmas present. Often it is only in retrospect that you realize how much love you have actually experienced.
Even if I don’t turn on every one of these games annually, they take turns helping me to become aware of this care during the festive season and me in this comfortable and at the same time humble feeling to bathe.
Traditionally in multiplayer
In contrast, there are games that are traditionally part of the program every year – no ifs or buts. These are not about quiet retrospect, but rather the joyful gathering in the spirit of Christmas.
When my grandma could still move around properly, bowling at Wii Sports was an integral part of our family Christmas Eve. Over the past few years, Beat Saber has taken his place that just doesn’t stop for competitive fun with his simple motion control to care.
A quiz game shouldn’t be missing during the holidays. Trivial Pursuit was replaced a few years ago by Knowledge is Power and its successor with the great PlayLink principle.
There is also a different co-op game every year. The Trine series is very popular in my family, although we have also eaten a fluffy fool on Sackboy: A Big Adventure since last year.
With my best friends, on the other hand, it goes annually with Broforce, Super Smash Bros. and a Worms offshoot a little more brutal, however no less traditional too.
For the sake of my parents, Super Mario World has to be played at least once during the festive season – one of our first video games that they still play today to play with great enthusiasm, which I always like to be infected by.
My mother in particular developed the same enthusiasm for Astro Bot: Rescue Mission. Since then, she can hardly wait until I come home for Christmas with my PS4 and PlayStation VR headset and she can completely immerse herself in virtual reality – but not alone, because we always save the cute robots together.
Conclusion
So for me, video games contribute to Christmas in several ways. First of all, they awaken my anticipation and get me in the mood for the party.
They allow me to withdraw into a homely feeling, to forget everything around me and To pursue beautiful memories that make me feel humble.
Only very specific games really belong to my very personal tradition every year – namely those, that I enjoy with my family and friends.
Can I imagine Christmas without video games? Of course, after all, they are just one aspect of many of what the holidays mean to me. Fortunately, I don’t have to do without them at all.
How important is gaming for your party? Which games are part of the annual Christmas ritual for you? Let us know on Facebook, we’re excited!
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