Feast of Winter Veil

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This article is about the event. For the item, see  [The Feast of Winter Veil]. For the quest, see B [10-90] The Feast of Winter Veil.
Feast of Winter Veil
Feast of Winter Veil 2014 logo.png
Duration December 16 - January 2
Boss The Abominable Greench
Highlights Greatfather Winter
Winter Veil presents
Metzen the Reindeer
The Abominable Greench
Grumpus
Other events
Preceded by WoW's Anniversary, Pilgrim's Bounty
Followed by New Year (concurrent)

Greatfather Winter is visiting the cities of Ironforge and Orgrimmar, courtesy of Smokywood Pastures. And throughout Azeroth, it is the season to be jolly!”

Calendar's description

The Feast of Winter Veil, also called Winter's Veil,[1][2] the Feast of Great-Winter,[3][4][5] or Yuletide,[6][7] is an in-game, end-of-year, several week long holiday event that is the in-game counterpart of Christmas and other holidays at the end of the year.

New in 2025

The Magical Sleigh Ride

Background

Azeroth

Traditional

Greatfather Winter is said to blanket the lands of Azeroth in snow.

Azeroth's later seasons are marked as a time of change in many cultures. The dwarves and tauren especially look to the legend of the Winter Veil—the blanketing of the land in snow, heralding a time of renewal—as a time for celebration. Though the understanding of the legends that the Azerothian races share is not dissimilar, the ways they choose to acknowledge them are as diverse as the races themselves. The term "Winter Veil" is said to stem from a supernatural being referred to in many cultures as Greatfather Winter, who walks the land late in the seasons with winter itself as his billowing cloak and thus casts his "wintry veil" over the world. Although parts of Azeroth become blanketed in snow, it gives the land time for rebirth and renewal. It is said that as Greatfather Winter wandered Azeroth, he would provide a bounty to those who welcomed his presence, which gave rise to the tradition of communities coming together, sharing what they had, and feasting in anticipation of the land's renewal. Typically, a single day of celebration welcomed the change.[8] The night preceding the day of Winter Veil proper is called Winter Veil Eve.[9][10]

The dwarves celebrate Winter Veil as a recognition of Greatfather Winter himself, whom they believe is a personification of one of their titan creators. They consider their snowy homeland of Dun Morogh the prime example of the Greatfather's blessings.[8] Dark Iron dwarves, despite favoring decidedly less snowy environments, also celebrate the holiday with a traditional feast.[11] Muradin Bronzebeard introduced the dwarven tradition to the humans of Lordaeron when he was assigned as Ironforge's ambassador to that kingdom after the Second War.[9] The Lordaeronian Turalyon was familiar with Greatfather Winter as early as the Invasion of Draenor[12] in 8 ADP.[13] The Lordaeronian royal family celebrated the holiday with an annual Winter Veil Eve ball in Capital City.[9] Some blood elves erroneously believe Winter Veil to have "always been a human thing".[14]

The tauren and their shamanistic, and more recently druidic, understanding of winter fit in well with the legend of Winter Veil. They focus almost entirely on the renewing aspects and leave "legend worship" to those races (as they view it) less in tune with the nature of things.[8] To the tauren, winter is the Earth Mother's time of rest, during which An'she and Mu'sha guide the elements to bring about cold and storms and allow new life to arise while their mother sleeps.[15] The Feast of Winter Veil serves as a source of warmth in this cold season.[16] That said, the tauren still believe in Greatfather Winter's existence and that he plays a role in bringing about said renewal.[17] Many tauren choose Winter Veil as the right time to give thanks for the blessings of their new home in Mulgore.[8]

Modern

Families and friends of different cultures and factions celebrating the Feast of Winter Veil.

Despite its once-substantial meaning to the dwarves and tauren,[17] the legend surrounding Winter Veil faded from the forefront of public thought over the years.[18] Other cultures have begun to observe the holiday in modern times, but not in the same traditions as the legend bases it in, instead favoring customs that are often unrelated to anything other than a chance for celebration and gift exchange. The image of Greatfather Winter is sometimes used as well, but "more as a harbinger of commercial exploit than as a supernatural titan".[8]

In particular, the goblins of Smokywood Pastures have helped to revive the Feast of Winter Veil for their own commercial purposes of selling candies, food, and toys. Some more traditionally-minded dwarves and tauren scoff at the modern incarnation of the holiday and argue that the goblins have "polluted" its true meaning. Others like Muradin Bronzebeard and Baine Bloodhoof, while acknowledging that the goblins have their own reasons for promoting the holiday, consider it positive that it at least helps keep the older legends alive in the minds of the citizenry.[17][18]

The orcs, although they do not truly understand the traditions of Winter Veil, have taken to them[19] to the point where the heart of the Horde's Winter Veil celebrations are now held in Orgrimmar.[16] The Forsaken still go through the motions of celebrating Winter Veil as they did in life, even though the celebration now "feels empty" to them.[20] Night elves seemingly do not traditionally celebrate Winter Veil and view it as something that the younger races "make a big fuss over",[21] but at least some night elf families have taken up its traditions in recent years.[10]

Great-father Winter handing out Winter Veil gifts (promotional art for the 2021 Holiday Sale).

Smokywood Pastures promotes Winter Veil as a "season of giving"[22] when people should purchase Smokywood treats to give to friends and family that have been nice during the year. They depict Greatfather Winter as a jolly old man who brings gifts to well-behaved children, and hire actors—a dwarf playing "Greatfather Winter" for the Alliance and an orc playing "Great-father Winter" for the Horde—to promote their products in Ironforge and Orgrimmar.[23][24] Children are invited to sit in the "Greatfather's" lap and tell him what gifts they hope to receive.[1][10][24][25] Meanwhile, people throughout Azeroth reflect on all the good and bad they've wrought during the year and write letters with wishlists to the Greatfather.[26][27] On the night between Winter Veil Eve and the day of the Feast of Winter Veil, the Greatfather—with the "generous support" of Smokywood Pastures—leaves wrapped gifts under decorated evergreen trees in Ironforge and Orgrimmar, to be opened the next morning.[10][23][22] He also supposedly visits people's homes carrying bags of gifts[28] which he leaves in specially-hung sockings.[10] Children that have been nice during the year receive treats,[23][24] while those that have been bad receive coal.[10][25]

During Winter Veil, innkeepers and families put up holiday decorations to provide a festive atmosphere.[23] Besides decorated trees,[28] other common ornaments include colored lights, wreaths,[29] candy canes, and mistletoe.[30] Other activities associated with the season include wearing gaudy sweaters,[31] singing carols,[32][33] throwing snowballs,[23] and eating and drinking holiday treats and drinks like gingerbread cookies, eggnog,[28][34] and apple cider.[35] Traditional greetings of the holiday include "Happy (Feast of) Winter Veil",[28][36][37][38] "Merry (Feast of) Winter Veil",[23][39] "Happy holidays",[37][40][41][42] and "Season's greetings".[43][44][45]

Draenor

One of the oldest stories told on the alternate Draenor is the legend of Grumpus, a mean-spirited brute that comes at night in the dead of winter—at the same time of year as Winter Veil is celebrated on Azeroth—and kidnaps misbehaving children. He brings his victims to his lair in Frostfire Ridge, where he presents them with awful toys and uses their tears to spawn his minions,[41] the grumplings.[46] No one quite knows when the legend of Grumpus began.[47]

Event boss: The Abominable Greench

The Abominable Greench as of The War Within.

The event boss of the holiday is The Abominable Greench, located in the open world in the Growless Cave of the Alterac Mountains in Hillsbrad Foothills. As of The War Within, Father Winter's Helpers with the <Express Transportation> title in the event areas of Ironforge and Orgrimmar will quickly send players to the boss.

The boss spawns every five minutes, and to complete the B [30-90G Daily] You're a Mean One... daily quest, players must be in the area when the boss is defeated, then loot the bags of  [Stolen Treats]. Also, if nobody else has done it, speak with Metzen the Reindeer to free him. The quest can reward any past year's gifts, so it's always worth doing.

There's no easy return back to Ironforge or Orgrimmar, so hearth or take a friendly mage's portal.

Presents

Winter Veil gifts in Ironforge.

Near the end of the celebration (starting on December 25 to the end of the event), various gifts are available underneath the trees near Greatfather Winter in Ironforge, and Great-father Winter in Orgrimmar. While some of the gifts are available to all, characters must be at or above minimum levels to receive others.

# Gift Min
Level
Quest Contents
1  [Gently Shaken Gift] 10 N [10-90] A Gently Shaken Gift  [Rolling Snowball]
2  [Winter Veil Gift] 10 N [10-90] A Winter Veil Gift  [Jubilant Snowman Costume]
 [Tiny Snow Buddy]
3  [Carefully Wrapped Present] 1 N [1-90] A Carefully Wrapped Present 1-5x  ["Merry Munchkin" Costume],
5x  [Winter Veil Cookie],
Chance of a cosmetic sock
4  [Festive Gift] 10 N [10-90] A Festive Gift  [Wand of Holiday Cheer]
5  [Gaily Wrapped Present] 20 N [10-90] A Gaily Wrapped Present One of:
 [Green Helper Box]
 [Red Helper Box]
 [Snowman Kit]
 [Jingling Bell]
6  [Ticking Present] 40 N [10-90] A Ticking Present  [Mechanical Greench],
5x  [Preserved Holly],
Chance of another recipe

Holiday-only items

Goldshire decorated for the Feast of Winter Veil.
Orgrimmar's Valley of Strength in Winter Veil decorations.

There are several special items and plans that are only available during the Feast of Winter Veil.

Mount

The  [Minion of Grumpus] has a rare chance of being contained in the  [Savage Gift] from daily quests at the player's garrison on Draenor.

Cosmetics and armor

Toys

Citizens of the Horde celebrating Winter Veil with festive clothing and toys.

Many toys are available, most of which are exclusive to Winter Veil:

Seven toys are sold by vendors year-round:

There are other toys available during the event:

Previous-year gifts are only found in the  [Stolen Present] (daily):

Pets

A Giant Snow Globe in Ironforge.

Thirteen pets are available during Winter Veil:

One pet spawns as a battle pet in the Giant Snow Globes:

One pet is sold by toy vendors year round and is also rarely found in the  [Stolen Present]:

A new pet is available from the  [Winter Veil Gift]:  [Portentous Present].

Five pets are only found in the  [Stolen Present] (daily):

One of four pets is found in the  [Gaily Wrapped Present] (one-time per character each year, requires level 20):

One pet is rarely found in Snow Mounds in the quest area of Frostfire Ridge:

Crafting recipes

Sent in a letter from Greatfather Winter, players with Cooking, Leatherworking, or Tailoring skills will receive:

Vendors sell the following recipes:

Inside the  [Ticking Present] (from December 25 to January 2) or the  [Smokywood Pastures Special Gift] (quest reward from saving Metzen), players may find:

Food and drink

Item Cost Type
5x  [Blended Bean Brew] 1s 25c Drink
5x  [Graccu's Homemade Meat Pie] 10s Meat
5x  [Graccu's Mince Meat Fruitcake] 99g 99s Meat
 [Greatfather's Winter Ale] 20s Alcohol
5x  [Green Garden Tea] 10s Drink
5x  [Holiday Cheesewheel] 1s 25c Cheese
5x  [Honeyed Holiday Ham] 40s Meat
5x  [Sparkling Apple Cider] 10s Drink
5x  [Spicy Beefstick] 20s Meat
 [Steamwheedle Fizzy Spirits] 1s 50c Alcohol

General goods

Vendors in Alliance and Neutral cities have the Red Winter Clothes pattern available for sale, while vendors in Horde cities have the Green Winter Clothes pattern. (Note: It is possible to acquire the other faction's winter clothes pattern because the associated vendors are neutral to all players, but be prepared to die multiple times due to PvP attacks and city guards.)

Item Cost
5x  [Snowball] 10c
 [Blue Ribboned Wrapping Paper] 10c
 [Green Ribboned Wrapping Paper] 10c
 [Purple Ribboned Wrapping Paper] 10c
5x  [Holiday Spices] 10c
 [Holiday Spirits] 50c
5x  [Candy Cane] 25c
 [Gaudy Winter Veil Sweater] 22c
 [Winter Veil Chorus Book] 52c
 [Recipe: Gingerbread Cookie] 25c
 [Recipe: Winter Veil Eggnog] 2s 40c
 [Pattern: Green Winter Clothes] (H) 50s
 [Pattern: Red Winter Clothes] (A/N) 50s
 [Pattern: Winter Boots] 50s
 [Recipe: Hot Apple Cider] 1g
 [Festive Green Holiday Belt] 15g
 [Festive Green Holiday Boots] 15g
 [Festive Green Holiday Coat] 30g
 [Festive Green Holiday Pants] 25g
 [Festive Green Holiday Shirt] 30g
 [Festive Green Holiday Shorts] 25g
 [Festive Green Holiday Sweater] 30g
 [Festive Green Holiday Vest] 30g
 [Festive Red Holiday Belt] 15g
 [Festive Red Holiday Boots] 15g
 [Festive Red Holiday Coat] 30g
 [Festive Red Holiday Pants] 25g
 [Festive Red Holiday Shirt] 30g
 [Festive Red Holiday Shorts] 25g
 [Festive Red Holiday Sweater] 30g
 [Festive Red Holiday Vest] 30g

Winter Hats

Sire Denathrius wearing tiny winter hats.

During the Feast of Winter Veil, some bosses now have a festive holiday hat equipped with a chance of dropping that hat. An extension to this, the winter hats also have an extremely low chance to drop from any humanoid.

 [Finely-Tailored Green Holiday Hat]
 [Finely-Tailored Red Holiday Hat]
 [Green Winter Hat]
 [Red Winter Hat]

Trading Post

While these Trading Post items are not strictly tied to the event itself, they are themed around the event. They are typically available from the Trading Post during December but can appear anytime of the year.

Quests

There are four sets of quests available during Winter Veil. First, a quick intro to the holiday itself and a short fetch quest:

  1. A [10-90] Greatfather Winter is Here! / H [10-90] Great-father Winter is Here!
  2. A [10-90] Treats for Greatfather Winter / H [10-90] Treats for Great-father Winter

Another quest series reveals some of the history of Winter Veil, and awards some reputation with the home city.

  1. B [10-90] The Reason for the Season
  2. B [10-90] The Feast of Winter Veil

Another set introduces the daily boss in the Alterac Mountains, the Abominable Greench:

  1. B [30-90G Daily] You're a Mean One...
  2. B [10-90] A Smokywood Pastures' Thank You!

Fast travel to the Greench area from Orgrimmar and Ironforge was added in the 2024 iteration of the event.

In Alliance Lunarfall and Horde Frostwall, Almie and Pizzle respectively offer a set of daily quests to battle Grumpus and his minions in exchange for  [Merry Supplies]:

Achievements

Note
Note: This list is up to date as of Patch 11.2.5. (edit)

Other info

In the RPG

Icon-RPG.png This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon.

Brann Bronzebeard mentions the dwarven "winter festival where we tell stories about Greatfather Winter" and how more and more humans have been participating in recent years, as an example of how humans are quick to assimilate holidays from other races.[48]

In other games

A Winter Veil-themed banner in Heroes of the Storm.

Hearthstone

Hearthstone This section contains information exclusive to Hearthstone and is considered non-canon.

Winter Veil is a seasonal event that takes place around the same time as the World of Warcraft holiday. The Hearthstone iteration varies somewhat from year to year, but always includes a themed Gift Exchange Tavern Brawl, festive hero emotes, and snowy holiday versions of normal battlefields.

Heroes of the Storm

Heroes of the Storm This section concerns content related to Heroes of the Storm and is considered non-canon.

“As seasons change and winter blankets Azeroth, communities gather for feasting and merriment, sharing what they have with one another.”

— Description of the Winter Veil Warbanner

Winter Veil was a seasonal event that took place around the same time as the World of Warcraft holiday from 2015 to 2017, with themed cosmetics including mounts, skins, and portraits depicting heroes from both Warcraft and other universes as Winter Veil figures or dressed up in festive winter clothing. From 2018 onward, the Winter Veil branding of the event was dropped and replaced by the Toys theme.

Gallery

Patch changes

References

 
  1. ^ a b Greatfather Winter and Great-father Winter quotes
  2. ^ [Gift of Winter's Veil]
  3. ^ World of Warcraft Community Site: In-Game Events - Feast of Great-Winter. Archived from the original on 2006-01-14.
  4. ^ N [10-90] A Ticking Present
  5. ^ N [1-90] A Carefully Wrapped Present
  6. ^  [Aegis of Yuletide]
  7. ^ Dreaming Festive Reindeer abilities
  8. ^ a b c d e  [The Feast of Winter Veil]
  9. ^ a b c Arthas: Rise of the Lich King, chapter 8
  10. ^ a b c d e f I Got What Yule Need
  11. ^  [Metzen's Letters and Notes]
  12. ^ Beyond the Dark Portal, chapter 5: "Turalyon might have been Greatfather Winter himself the way Mekkatorque reacted ..."
  13. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 182
  14. ^ Blood Elf Commoner says: Winter Veil has always been a human thing. To see the goblins and orcs take it up is rather strange.
  15. ^ Eyes of the Earth Mother
  16. ^ a b Tauren Commoner quotes: "The celebration of the feast of Winter Veil is a source of great warmth during the cold seasons, and its heart is in Orgrimmar."
  17. ^ a b c B [10-90] The Reason for the Season
  18. ^ a b B [10-90] The Feast of Winter Veil
  19. ^ Orc Commoner says: Though we do not truly understand the traditions of Winter Veil, we have taken to them.
  20. ^ Forsaken Commoner quotes: "We still go through the motions, but the feast of Winter Veil feels empty now. In Orgrimmar, they have the true celebration."
  21. ^ Night Elf Commoner quotes: "The younger races make a big fuss over Winter Veil. Ironforge's bank is the center of the festivities."
  22. ^ a b B [1-90] Winter's Presents
  23. ^ a b c d e f Game Guide: Events - Feast of Winter Veil
  24. ^ a b c A [10-90] Greatfather Winter is Here! / H [10-90] Great-father Winter is Here!
  25. ^ a b Blizzard Entertainment Kaivax 2015-12-18. Your Letters to Greatfather Winter. Archived from the original on 2015-12-20.
  26. ^ Blizzard Entertainment Nethaera 2013-12-19. ‘Tis the Season: Dear Greatfather Winter. Archived from the original on 2013-12-28.
  27. ^ Blizzard Entertainment Blizzard Entertainment. Dear Greatfather Winter:. Archived from the original on 2023-09-22.
  28. ^ a b c d Seasons
  29. ^  [Ball of Tangled Lights]
  30. ^  [Old Box of Decorations]
  31. ^ Blizzard Entertainment Blizzard Entertainment 2017-12-16. Prepare to be Merry– The Feast of Winter Veil Is Here!. Archived from the original on 2023-12-08.​ “‘Tis the season to eat, drink, wear gaudy sweaters, and be oh so very, very merry. The Feast of Winter Veil has begun!”
  32. ^  [Gaudy Winter Veil Sweater]
  33. ^  [Winter Veil Caroling Book]
  34. ^ WoW -> Info -> Under Development -> Previous Patch Content: Mysteries of Maraudon. Archived from the original on 2010-02-08.​ “Denizens of Azeroth also celebrated the Feast of Winter Veil. Trading gifts, munching on cookies and eggnog, and chatting with Greatfather Winter kept both Alliance and Horde in high spirits throughout the holiday.”
  35. ^  [Fizzy Apple Cider],  [Hot Apple Cider],  [Sparkling Apple Cider]
  36. ^ N [80] Metzen the Reindeer
  37. ^ a b Greatfather Winter (Highmountain) quotes
  38. ^  [Pattern: Winter Boots],  [Recipe: Hot Apple Cider]
  39. ^ World of Warcraft on X (2019-12-25). Retrieved on 2025-12-10.​ “Happy Holidays and a very merry Winter Veil from your friends in Azeroth!”
  40. ^ N [10-90] A Winter Veil Gift
  41. ^ a b N [40-90G Daily] Grumpus
  42. ^ Lil' Helper / Lil' Snowfighter quotes
  43. ^ Winter Reveler quotes
  44. ^  [Mistletoe]
  45. ^  [Smokywood Pastures Sampler] mail
  46. ^  [Grumpling]
  47. ^  [Minion of Grumpus]
  48. ^ Alliance Player's Guide, pg. 139

External links