December is a great month to spend time with family and friends, take some time off of work, and dust off the Sinatra vinyl. It can also be a good time to take your shoes off and play some video games, and what’s better than celebrating the holiday season in the games themselves? The number of games set during Christmas isn’t incredibly long, but putting together this list, I discovered more than I previously knew about, including a few hidden gems that might be well worth a try if you’re looking for a festive new experience.
The list includes the most obvious examples–the first of which I’ve opened with below, those aforementioned hidden gems you may have missed over past Decembers, as well as some live-service options. For players who are looking for Christmas vibes in a live multiplayer setting, today’s participating games are rather numerous, with several of the biggest games in the world redecorating with tinsel and garland–and maybe a snowy world–in each and every December. Others are frozen in that time and place forever, with stories that lean into the setting in ways that, I’d argue, are more fun when played around the same time period in real life.
This list includes games new as of 2022 and those that are many years old. It even includes two superhero stories, because sometimes Christmas needs saving. Some of these games subvert the holiday spirit with activities such as assassinating villains, while others lean into the true spirit of the season–hot chocolate and home decorating. Here are some great games you can play this season to bring some holiday cheer to your console, PC, or mobile device.