This Christmas, the Final Fantasy 14 team is finally giving its players what they want: a full-fledged Santa suit.
“Starlight,” the annual in-game FFXIV Christmas event, takes place every year and involves a little gift at the end of what’s normally a heartfelt and sweet quest chain. In the past, it’s had Christmas- and Santa-adjacent items, including a “Starlight robe” that was a little closer to Mrs. Claus than Santa himself. Famously, players immediately memed when one mount turned them into snowmen.
The prize this year doesn’t beat around the bush (or bushy beard, for that matter). With items titled after the “Unorthodox Saint,” players are given not only the full “Santa suit” but a hat and a full beard as well. It’s absolutely going to be a boon for that player you know who hands out random goodies on your server.
The season of joy and cheer is upon us: the #FFXIV Starlight Celebration is returning to Eorzea! ?? https://t.co/yaLHlzHcaePrepare for the festivities arriving on Friday, December 15! ?? pic.twitter.com/nuogGQYnBf
— FINAL FANTASY XIV (@FF_XIV_EN) December 8, 2023
And don’t worry: it’s lore-friendly. The Ishgardian story goes that during the cold winter months in the early days of the Dragonsong War, knights would slip children in need away under red jacks to give them food, shelter, and warm clothing, as those acts of charity were forbidden in those times. Those orphans grew up to reciprocate the deed, taking the Starlight season as an opportunity to hand out gifts in bright scarlet suits.
The holiday evolved, and the “Saint of Nymeia” became Ishgard’s equivalent of Santa. So, yes, there’s sort of a Santa in FFXIV. Don’t tell the kids that full story, though. The Saint of Nymeia is real.
There’s also an “Illuminated Topiary Chocobo” available as an outdoor furnishing, which also looks bright and adorable. But in this housing market, where would it go, anyway?
The 2023 edition of the FFXIV Starlight Celebration runs from Friday, December 15th, until Sunday, December 31st, at 6:59 AM PT. Assumedly, we’ll get the Heavensturn celebration for New Year’s.
