Am I alone in hating Christmas-themed adventures?

[Li Shenron]

Don't know what's wrong with me but I really don't get them...

I love Christmas time, I love the snowy weather, I love the family gathering, I love Christmas food, sharing presents, Christmas decorations, going to the special church celebrations, even going over and over again through the traditional XMas time TV shows from Snowmen to Peanuts to Chaplin to Asterix... and we ALSO love playing D&D at least once during the Christmas holidays, even pulling into it the distant relatives, but just plain regular D&D adventures.

There is just 3 things I don't like at all:

- Christmas carols
- the "Christmas special" episode of whatever sit-com
- D&D adventures featuring Santa, the Grinch, Rudolf or similar boogies

Am I alone in this?

 

[akr71]

I doubt you are alone in that thought. I have never played a Christmas themed adventure, but also have no desire to do so.

Halloween, yes

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

At least we're a group of two! I absolutely hate them. I find it unoriginal and cheesy. I think its the same thing with every other concept done to death: steampunk, extra-gritty/edgy campaign, Scottish accent-ed hard alcoholic dwarves, etc

 

[Umbran]

I don't mind playing a holiday-themed adventure if I am playing in a game world where the holiday exists.

Heck, I played in a great game of Nobilis once, where one of the characters was a form of the spirit of Christmas. Hard for any adventure with them to not be themed

But, if the holiday does not exist in the game world? Not so much. It is always pretty forced, then.

 

[Shiroiken]

Unless the game is a series of one-shots, I generally object to themed adventures at all. They usually take away from the realism of the setting, and that's anathema to me. The only "theme" adventures that usually work for me is Halloween, because horror usually fits into most settings. Oh, and the occasional April Fool session (which turns out to be a dream or something) can be done well, if sparingly.

 

[GameOgre]

I like them a lot. Often the normal group can't get together at that time so whoever is left just plays wonderfully fun and silly Christmas themed adventure that often involves all the Christmas activities dialed up all the way.

They are also normally incredibly deadly but if you live or actually succeed in the adventure your normal character receives a sudden windfall.

 

[Oofta]

Is some TV network having a Christmas themed Big Bang Theory marathon? Because I seem to remember an episode where the group did a D&D session that was holiday themed and Sheldon hated it.

But i digress. I have holiday themed games based on my in-world holidays not on real world holidays. So yes, sometimes I've had a game session where there is a winter solstice festival but it's more of a New Year's type celebration of death and rebirth. I also do a halloween-adjacent game because now and then a horror theme can be fun.

 

[Morrus]

Bah humbug!

I like them. They’re fun. I enjoy an nice little Xmas themed one-shot. Especially if Santa’s in it!

 

[Draegn]

I once ran a Christmas theme for Shadowrun. The big bad runners shot up a mall and stole gifts for the poor people in the barrens. A way of saying (insert colourful metaphor) to the aggressive sales people that accost you and apply soaps, lotions etc to your hands.

 

[jayoungr]

I think they're fun, myself, but they do tend to have a different tone from other sorts of adventures. Often they're a bit "meta" or fourth-wall-breaky. I can see how that wouldn't be to everyone's taste.