The Feast of Winter Veil is the typical year end winter seasonal holiday with snow, gnomes in holiday gear, presents, cookies, and other seasonal themes in the wonderful world of warcraft. Unlike other holidays, there isn’t a huge focus on loot or character advancement. Instead the focus is on merriment, fun and just having a good time with your friends and guildies.
The following are the activities available during the holiday:
Type: Holiday Event
Date: December 15th – January 2nd
Location: Most Major Cities
Greatfather Winter
Greatfather Winter is visiting the great cities of Ironforge and Orgrimmar – courtesy of the fine folks of Smokywood Pastures and he’s spreading cheer in celebration for the Feast of Winter Veil. But, all the cheer-spreading is making Greatfather Winter hungry, and he’s looking for adventurers to get him his daily fix of milk and cookies.
Revelers
During the Feast of Winter Veil, the innkeepers bring out holiday decorations to provide a festive atmosphere for their patrons. Who knows what might happen if you /kiss a reveler standing near a sprig of mistletoe….
Smokeywood Pastures’ Missing Shipment
Smokeywood Pastures needs a few brave adventurers to investigate the disappearance of a shipment of holiday goods. Rumors are the shipment is in the possession of the Abominable Greench, found somewhere in the snowy regions of the Alterac Mountains.
Metzen the Reindeer
Disaster has struck! Metzen the Reindeer has been kidnapped! Metzen is one of Greatfather Winter’s eight reindeer – and property of Smokywood Pastures. The Jinglepocket Goblins have received two ransom letters from groups claiming to have Metzen. Concerned adventurers should visit Ironforge or Orgrimmar for more information.
Jinglepocket Goblins’ Fare Shops
The Jinglepocket Goblins have set up their seasonal fare shops in major cities. Adventurers can purchase many holiday favorites – including Greatfather’s Winter ale, candy canes, gingerbread cookie recipes, and mistletoes.
Snowballs
Whether you pick them up from your local vendor or ask a friendly engineer to craft them for you, no feast of Winter Veil is complete without some frozen projectile-weapons. Get your mitts on some snowballs and say, “Merry Feast of Winter Veil” the old-fashioned way!
Snowmen
Accompanying Greatfather Winter in his journeys across Azeroth are his loyal troops of snowmen. They can be found wandering around Ironforge and Orgrimmar, bringing with them the chill breath of winter into even the warmest climes.
Winter Veil Bosses
The denizens of the dungeons of Northrend are also getting into the holiday spirit, and some dungeon bosses even wear festive Winter Hats just like Greatfather Winter’s. Defeat a Winter Veil boss, and the boss’ hat is yours!
Winter Veil bosses of Northrend:
Grand Magus Telestra (The Nexus) – Red Winter Hat
Jedoga Shadowseeker (Ahn’Kahet: The Old Kingdom) – Red Winter Hat
Mage-Lord Urom (The Oculus) – Green Winter Hat
Cataclysm Winter Veil bosses
Deadmines (Heroic) – Admiral Ripsnarl
The Stone Core (Normal + Heroic) – High Priestess Azil
Blackrock Caverns (Normal + Heroic) – Corla, Herald of Twilight
Shadowfang Keep (Heroic) – Lord Godfrey
Grim Batol (Normal + Heroic) – Drahga Shadowburner
From December 25th to January 2nd only
Gift-Giving
In the quiet, early hours of the 25th of December, the industrious goblins of Smokywood Pastures are already awake. As a much-deserved reward for the noble adventurers throughout Azeroth, these generous harbingers of the holidays deposit gifts underneath the decorated trees in Orgrimmar and Ironforge. Keep a keen eye out for these presents, as they’re there for the taking!
Event History
The later seasons of Azeroth are marked as a time of change in many cultures. The Dwarves and the Tauren especially look to a legend of the coming Winter Veil – the blanketing of the land in snow, thus heralding a time of renewal – as a time for celebration.
The term “Winter Veil” is said to stem from a supernatural being referred in many cultures to as Greatfather Winter. As he would walk the land late in the seasons, winter itself would be his billowing cloak. In his wake was the blanketing of the land in snow, and thus it is said that Greatfather Winter would cast his wintry veil over the land. Though parts of Azeroth may lie in snow, it gives the land time for rebirth and renewal.
The idea of feasting during this time of year is one that traces its origins to the legend itself. As Greatfather Winter walked Azeroth, it is said he would provide a bounty for those who welcomed his presence. As such, the idea of feasting during the winter veil would bring together communities as they shared whatever they had. Typically, a single day of merriment and feasting welcomed the change, all in anticipation of the land’s renewal.
Other cultures have begun to recognize the Feast of Winter Veil as a time of great celebration, though not in the same traditions as the legend bases it in. Customs, often unrelated to anything other than a chance for celebration and gift exchange, have made their way into modern observation of the season. Even the image of Greatfather Winter is sometimes used, but more as a harbringer of commercial exploit rather than as a supernatural titan.
