Every year when December approaches, I can't help but soak up the festive spirit at the prospect of local Christmas markets, late night shopping, and being surrounded by Christmas-themed goodness all in one place. Even the most humbug Scrooge among us can't help but feel a little warm inside under these circumstances.
Carolers can be heard singing wherever you are, hot food and mulled wine line the streets and delicious aromas fill the air, and you browse from stall to stall looking for that perfect Christmas present for your loved ones. This is one of my favorite aspects of the holiday season.
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For that reason, I think this year's Starlight Festival at Final Fantasy 14 is the best yet. This might surprise you since there weren't any minions involved, but this year's show gave us something even more special, a new seasonal instance called Starlight Stalls.
You'll have to complete all the seasonal quests to see the Starlight Stalls in their full glory with NPC vendors at each small stall, but it won't take long, so don't miss out.
Merry Christmas Market
Starlight stalls are wooden stalls decorated with branches, garlands and festive ornaments. There are NPCs eating each one out; The snowmen are dotted here and there; Christmas trees line the streets; Piles of gifts and balloons decorate every surface; Santa outfits also have sleighs and NPCs. When it's snowing.
NPC vendors sell food, Starlight Celebration-themed items, and various other items. Those searching for that perfect festive screenshot will find countless decorative spots along side streets or winding paths. This is Gposer's paradise.
But it's not just about players completing seasonal events or those snapping screenshots you'll find here. The FF14 community has embraced the area wholeheartedly, with many groups moving their festival events to this new area, while others are planning entirely new ones. You can find role-playing parties, art parties, Secret Santa gifts, and many other festivities in Final Fantasy 14's various worlds and data centers.
My social feeds are filled with gorgeous screenshots of players sharing fun event plans at Starlight Stalls. It's heartwarming to see so many players excited about it, and it's one of the few occasions where seasonal event rewards are completely overshadowed.
I'm the player who immediately checks what the reward is for the latest seasonal event, usually that's the main thing I care about. Mostly, I want to see if it's a new minion. But for the first time, I enjoyed the event more than the awards, all because of the Starlight stalls.
It's these little moments that remind me that FF14 isn't just a game where you grind to get the new shiny items you want, it's a place where people gather, and where you can relax and enjoy the scenery.
Seasonal examples
I now have a new appreciation for seasonal examples. Starlight Stalls isn't the first we've had, as All Saints' Wake treated us to Sneaky Hollow more than once, which gives me hope that Starlight Stalls will return next winter as well. As appropriately spooky and cute as Sneaky Hollows was, Starlight Stalls is my favorite holiday-themed event to date.
Honestly, Square Enix could just do seasonal quests and rewards and not many people would complain. Let's face it, most people just want to get in, get a reward and get out. However, if you really stop to look around Starlight Stalls and see how incredibly detailed it is, it's clear that a lot of time and effort has gone into delivering something extra special for players.
Part of me wishes we had access to something like this year-round, a nice little market themed area where communities can host different events. It reminds me of a festival rebirth, a community event held every year in residential districts. Imagine what these players could do with a dedicated market place? To paraphrase Wizzard, I wish it could be Starlight Stalls every day.
Another part of me knows that having something as a permanent fixture like starlight stalls makes it that much more special, like Christmas itself. If it happens too often, we don't value or appreciate it very much.
Even if you're not usually the type of player to attend seasonal events, I recommend checking out the Starlight Stalls before the event ends as it's such a beautiful area. If you're lucky, you might stumble upon a dedicated group of players hosting a special performance when you enter.
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