Starlight Celebration

The Starlight Celebration is a seasonal event held in Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV every year, near Christmas. In both games, players may obtain special items ranging from Santa hats to candies by participating in unique quests or events during the celebration.

Appearances[]

Final Fantasy XI[]

The Starlight Celebration is held every year in Vana'diel since 2004.

Final Fantasy XIV[]

The tradition of the Starlight Celebration dates from several generations ago to have began in Coerthas during the beginning days of the Dragonsong War, the series of battles between the Knights of Ishgard and the Dravanian Horde having left thousands homeless with the Ishgardian children forced to endure in the land's chilling winds. But each night, a handful of Ishgardian knights would seek these children and offer them room within their company barracks. As this act of kindness was strictly forbidden by the knight's charter, these kind men and women, many being once orphans themselves, would conceal the children beneath the red jackets of their uniforms.

After several months, the fighting eventually subsided during one of the Dragonsong War's ceasefires and the incident was soon forgotten. However, a group of former orphans gathered together years later to pay tribute to the knights who rescued them so none would ever forgot their remarkable deeds. During the coldest weeks of each year, they would dress up in brilliant scarlet uniforms and pass out gifts to the children of the realm, passing along the happiness that they once received on a starlit night long ago.

Furthermore, while Ishgard is most closely associated with the goddess Halone the Fury, over time the snowy-bearded captain of the knights who first sheltered the children came to be associated with Nymeia the Spinner, and in modern times is even known as the Saint of Nymeia, with children believing that this now-immortal-if-unseen figure delivers their wishes for presents to Nymeia Herself after they place said wishes in an envelope beneath a properly-decorated pine or fir tree. His "knights", in turn, have become the "Saint's Little Helpers", the ones tasked with bringing comfort and joy to children the realm over. The folk legend of the Saint has been further enhanced over the years by some citizens, including the current Starlight Celebrant herself, swearing they have been visited by the man in the flesh and given not just a gift but succor for the soul in their hours of direst need as children.

The modern Starlight Celebration is often handled primarily by the Adventurer's Guild, with assistance from various other organizations, particularly one anonymous philanthropist. The work of the Celebration is organized by Starlight Celebrant Amh Garanjy, who helps coordinate "little helpers" in the form of willing adventurers who take up whatever task is pertinent for that year—ideally, helping deliver presents to the children, though with the coming of the Seventh Umbral Era, the realm has seen some strange Starlight Celebrations indeed in recent years.

2010[]

The 2010 Starlight Celebration happened between December 15th through December 31st. NPCs known as Smilebringers were positioned on several key points in the three city states, near a bell.

By ringing the bells at those locations, players could get one of several gifts:

• Powdered Sugar
• Young Dodo Roaster
• Dodo Stuffing
• Dream Hat Materials
• Dream Tunic Materials
• Dream Boots Materials
• Twinklebox

Each one of those gifts could then be used to craft unique food items such as Snowflake Peak or Roast Dodo, while the Dream Materials could be used to craft the Dream Set equipment—Santa costumes.

The Twinklebox, however, should be traded with NPCs located on each of the Hamlets around Eorzea, in exchange for already crafted Dream gear.

2011 - Winter's Knell[]

The North Shroud is unseasonably warm this year. In fact, there are some as say winter has yet to arrive. This makes yet another strange phenomenon assailing the land, and consternation is writ plain on the faces of Gridanians. Between this and the bloody-red hue of Dalamud, the citizens can scarce be begrudged their sense of apprehension.

Oliver Goodfellow

Due to an odd change in the climate of The Black Shroud, an Ala Mhigan refugee named Waldomar proposed to the conjurers the holding of a festival from his homeland called Winter's Knell.

According to the Hyrstmill resident, Winter's Knell is just one facet of the Starlight Celebration observed in his native Ala Mhigo. The festival entails the building of Father Frost, a giant of snow, in a ritual to usher in the blessing of winter and pray for the well-being of loved ones.

The conjurers have no expectations whatsoever that the festival will actually bring cold weather to the North Shroud; However, by allowing the ritual to proceed, they plan to calm the population and improve the relationship with the Ala Mhigan refugees.

During the event, players could obtain a reindeer outfit by completing a simple quest: delivering 30 ice shards to a non-playable character on each city state, then go to Hyrstmill and use the /snowball emote on Father Frost five times.

Father Frost grows up in size every time a player completes the quest, and gains some extra details such as a bow tie and hat as he grows bigger.

The 2011 Starlight Celebration started on December 16th, 2011, and lasted until December 31, 2011.

2012[]

Due to the temporary cessation of service leading up to the beginning of testing on A Realm Reborn, the Celebration was not held in 2012 as the servers were unavailable.

2013[]

A representative from the Adventurers' Guild informed of the proposed plan—snowmen, made with powdery stuff sleighed down from Coerthas. However, the festivities were frustrated when a flight of insidious imps appeared and attempted to melt the snowmen. Sentries scrambled to scatter the imps immediately, but to their surprise, the snowmen scarcely needed saving. If reports are to be believed, they attained awareness, fleeing from the flames and into the wilderness. Before indulging in the idea of sentient snowmen, bear in mind that imps are skilled at shapeshifting shams. In all likelihood, they assumed the appearance of snowmen they had sought to soften. However, on the off chance that the snowmen found feeling and fled of their own volition, Eorzea may find its starlit skies blotted black before the festival is finished.

This event brings celebrants to the main cities seeking the aid of adventurers. For this years festivities, sentient snowmen were imported to help spread the cheer. En route, they were attacked by imps, and thus, postponed. These snowmen, and their unusually festive treant guardians, need the aid of adventurers to return to town safely.

By completing seasonal FATEs, players are awarded with Eternal Ice, an item that is used like currency for seasonal clothing, food, and companion sets.

2014[]

Winter has come at last, and 'tis the season for every child’s favorite holiday─the Starlight Celebration! With the cities festooned with decorations and festival preparations well underway, children eagerly await presents from the "Saint of Nymeia." The goodly saint will pay a visit to all of Eorzea's girls and boys─and who knows? Perhaps he has something in store for Eorzea's adventurers as well!

This heavily-revamped version of the Starlight Celebration primarily takes place in the three residential areas, rather than the city-states proper, and introduces a new style of Starlight outfits. A set of daily quests lets players take the role of the "Saint's Little Helper" and retrieve letters from children wishing for a gift from the Spinner, and then deliver the present from an event representative, with "Fallen Star" token obtained as rewards that can be exchanged for event items from Mammet merchants.

These letters must be retrieved from large decorative fir trees called "Starlight Sentinels." A single, unadorned tree lies in the residential ward center and awards a green Fallen Star. Alternatively, letters can be retrieved from Sentinels placed in the player-owned plots, with a differently colored Fallen Star awarded based on the ornament at the top (star = yellow, moon = blue, and sun = red). These alternate colored stars are used to trade for more specific awards, such as Hoary the Snowman minion.

2015[]

Sweet Silver Bells Sing with Cheerful Rings and Fill the Realm with Joy

A reporter for the Harbor Herald has been inquiring about this year's celebration and suspects something is amiss. Fearing the planning committee has struck a sour note in their preparations, she seeks an adventurer to set right their plans of Starlight merriment.

• Time: 18 December, 2015 - 31 December, 2015
• Rewards:
  • Gear: Reindeer Antler Headband, Reindeer Gloves, Reindeer Hooves, Saint's Beard, Saint's Cap
  • Furnishing: Starlight Sentinel, Starlight Ornament, Twin Star Ornament
• Achievement: "Needs More Bell"
• Official 2015 website

2016[]

A Special Delivery for Frondale's Phrontistery

A Starlight celebrant of Ul'dah seeks to bring merriment and good cheer to the boys and girls of a local children's ward. If you would ensure these hapless younglings have a reason to smile this year, pray seek her out, and learn what you can do to help.

• Time: 15 December, 2016 - 31 December, 2016
• Rewards:
  • Gear: Starlight Robe
  • Furnishing: Starlight Pillar, Snow Drift, Starlight
  • Orchestrion Rolls: Starlight Celebration
• Achievement: "Beautiful Youngling Too Good for this World, Too Pure"
• Official 2016 website

2017[]

If you go down to the woods today, you'll find the Starlight bears ready to play!

Amh Garanjy is recruiting adventurers at Mih Khetto's Amphitheatre to help with the festivities. However, it seems trouble is afoot in Bentbranch Meadows. Will you volunteer to save the Starlight Celebration?

• Time: 15 December, 2017 - 31 December, 2017
• Rewards:
  • Mount: Starlight Bear
  • Furnishing: Starlight Stew Set, Starlight Log Set, Starlight Sapling, Starlight Celebration Advertisement
  • Orchestrion Rolls: Starlit Gateway
• Achievement: "The Nightbear Before Starlight"
• Official 2017 website

2018[]

Give the gift of song on a cold winter's eve!

Amh Garanjy has decided that Ishgardian choral music will be an indispensable part of the celebration, although she has neglected to find anyone capable of such a performance. Is the event doomed to failure, or will you save the day?

• Time: 17 December, 2018 - 31 December, 2018
• Rewards:
  • Gear: Choir Attire Set
  • Furnishing: Silver Starlight Sentinel, Starlight Donuts, Evercold Starlight Snowman, Opened Twinkleboxes
  • Orchestrion Rolls: Starlight, Starbright
• Achievement: "Theatgrhythdaniam: Curtain Call"
• Official 2018 website

2019[]

With Kwehs of Good Cheer, Starlight is Here!

Winter has come to Eorzea, and with each passing day, the nights grow longer, the air grows chiller, and the wind nips ever more briskly at the face. But take heart, for the Starlight Celebration is set to return to warm the body and soul. This year will see the cities of the realm bedecked with colorful decorations, along with a musical event of a different feather that’s sure to lift the spirits of one and all.

• Time: 18 December, 2019 - 31 December, 2019
• Rewards:
  • Chocobo: Saintly Barding
  • Furnishing: Starlight Goobbue Wreath, Starlight Roll Cake, Choir Concert Advertisement
  • Orchestrion Rolls: Starlight de Chocobo
• Achievement: "Starlight de Chocobo"
• Official 2019 website

2020[]

Smiles Forestalled? A Starlight Setback

The chill of winter returns to Eorzea once more, heralding the arrival of the Starlight Celebration. Preparations for this year's festivities are well underway, or at least, they should be. A young man of abundant wealth and self-assurance─and considerably less abundant Starlight spirit─has been tasked with overseeing the event, and his plans for the season appear to be anything but promising. Amh Garanjy is seeking help from anyone and everyone in the hopes of pulling off a Starlight miracle.

• Time: 14 December, 2020 - 31 December, 2020
• Rewards:
  • Mount: Snowman
  • Furnishing: Snow-dusted Tree, Unmelting Ice Partition, Unmelting Ice Loft
• Achievement: "Snow Day"
• Official 2020 website

2021[]

The Little Yeti That Could

Wintry weather has settled in across the realm, and the citizens of Eorzea have begun preparing for this year’s Starlight Celebration. The merry sight of cities and residential districts illuminated by cheerful decorations is bound to leave one in high spirits and enkindle heartwarming gestures during this season’s festivities.

• Time: 16 December, 2021 - 31 December, 2021
• Quests:
  • A Very Yeti Starlight
• Rewards:
  • Minions: Wind-up Rudy, Squirrel Emperor
  • Furnishing: Starlight Mobile
• Achievement: "Friend to the Furry"
• Official 2021 website

2022[]

Magicks of Eld Conjure Smiles Anew

Wintry weather has settled in across the realm, and the citizens of Eorzea have begun preparing for this year's Starlight Celebration. Festive lights twinkle merrily throughout cities and neighborhoods, warming the hearts of all who behold them. So make ready your tinsel and dust off your baubles─the season of giving is here!

• Time: 15 December, 2022 - 31 December, 2022
• Quests:
  • Reindeer Fame
  • The Ghost of Starlight Present
• Rewards:
  • Mount: Starlight Steed Horn
  • Furnishing: Illuminated Tree
• Achievement: "Make It Reindeer"
• Official 2022 website

2023[]

Ties to Remember

Wintry weather has settled in across the realm, and the citizens of Eorzea have begun preparing for this year's Starlight Celebration. The time has come to deck the halls with festive decorations and delight others with heartfelt surprises─who will you remember during this season of giving?

• Time: 15 December, 2023 - 31 December, 2023
• Rewards:
  • Gear: Unorthodox Saint's Set
  • Furnishing: Illuminated Topiary Chocobo
• Achievement: "-"
• Official 2023 website

Musical themes[]

Final Fantasy XI[]

Jeuno -Starlight Celebration- is the theme for the event that plays in the Grand Duchy of Jeuno with the exception of Ru'Lude Gardens.

Final Fantasy XIV[]

"Starlight Celebration" is a theme for the event.

Gallery[]

Artworks

Screenshots

Trivia[]

• While the format of the FFXIV Celebration in 2014 was a huge departure from previous iterations (as it heavily utilized the housing system, which was not readily available for previous years), the lore posits the 2014 version of the Celebration as being a fairly "typical" version of the event, with previous years having been somewhat irregular due to the strange disturbances caused by, and in the wake of, the Seventh Umbral Era.

External links[]

• 2013 Starlight Celebration event on the Lodestone
• 2014 Starlight Celebration event on the Lodestone
• 2015 Starlight Celebration trailer on Youtube