The Feast of Winter Veil is World of Warcraft’s primary annual holiday event, returning for the 2025 season with a tightly limited timeframe and several high-value rewards tied to daily participation. Running from December 15 through January 2, Winter Veil offers unique opportunities for account-wide collectibles, achievement progress, alt leveling, and gold generation that cannot be accessed outside the event window.
This guide breaks down exactly what matters during Winter Veil 2025, prioritizing efficiency, completion, and long-term value rather than flavor content. Whether you’re targeting the Merrymaker title, farming rare pets and transmogs, or optimizing alts during overlapping progression events, the sections below outline the optimal approach.
What This Guide Covers
- Event timing and critical dates, including Christmas Day gift unlocks and final deadlines
- The complete Winter Veil quest chain, from initial setup to the daily Greench loop
- Daily priority actions for farming Stolen Presents, rare pets, toys, and manuscripts
- Gold-making strategies, including Draenor Garrison Savage Gift farming
- All required achievements for earning the Merrymaker title, with common pitfalls explained
- Vendor purchases and must-buy items for achievements, Hunter tames, and cosmetics
- Hunter-exclusive content, including how to tame the Dreaming Festive Reindeer
- Leveling and progression optimization, including Timewalking XP overlap
- 2025-specific additions and changes, plus what is not available this year
Event Hubs and the Core Quest Chain
To maximize efficiency, players should head directly to the major cities serving as faction hubs. These locations provide access to Greatfather Winter, specialized holiday vendors, and the central Winter Veil tree.
- Alliance Hub: Ironforge – The Commons (Located to the right of the main entrance).
- Horde Hub: Orgrimmar – Valley of Strength (Located near the central Auction House).
For convenience, a new sleigh ride transport is available from Dornogal directly to these capital hubs. Upon arrival, the initial holiday quests should be followed in this specific order:
- Greatfather Winter is Here!: The introductory breadcrumb quest.
- Treats for Greatfather Winter: Requires providing holiday food like Winter Veil Egg Nog and gingerbread cookies.
- You’re a Mean One: The primary daily quest involving the Abominable Greench.
- A Smokywood Pastures’ Thank You!: A one-time follow-up quest providing a Smokywood Pastures special gift with rare legacy patterns.
Christmas Day Gifts (Dec 25) and Player Housing Status
The most anticipated rewards unlock on Christmas Day at 10:00 AM server time. At this time, the presents underneath Greatfather Winter’s tree (the Christmas tree) become lootable.
2025 Primary Gifts:
- Jubilant Snowman Costume (Winter Veil Gift): This toy transforms the character into a snowman. Using the /dance emote while transformed allows the character to roll as a snowball. Looting this gift awards the “Snowball Fight!” achievement.
- Rolling Snowball (Gently Shaken Gift): A temporary high-speed movement item.
- Legacy Gifts: Items like the Gaily Wrapped Present and Carefully Wrapped Present contain patterns, holiday garb, and toys from previous years.
Regarding the Homestead player housing system: while festive decorations and giant snow globes appear in cities, there are currently no official Winter Veil decor items live for player homes in the 2025 season.
The Daily Loop: Greench Farming & Rare Loot
| Priority | Activity | Location | Why It Matters |
| 1 | Complete You’re a Mean One | Hillsbrad Foothills | Awards Stolen Present (pets, toys, manuscripts) |
| 2 | Free Metzen the Reindeer | Growless Cave | Required to complete Greench quest |
| 3 | Loot Stolen Present sacks | Outside Growless Cave | Grants the actual Stolen Present reward |
| 4 | Run Greench on alts | Any capital → Hillsbrad | Multiplies chances for rare drops |
| 5 | /kiss Winter Revelers | Any inn (hourly) | Provides Mistletoe, Holly, Snowflakes |
| 6 | Check Smokywood vendors | Ironforge / Orgrimmar | Buy gear for achievements & Hunter tame |
| 7 | (Optional) Draenor Garrison dailies | Frostfire Ridge | Savage Gift → Minion of Grumpus mount |
Stolen Present Rewards: Best Drops to Chase (2025)
| Reward | Type | Why It’s Valuable |
| Grunch | Battle Pet | Newer pet, primary 2025 chase |
| Highland Drake: Winter Veil Armor | Mount Manuscript | Rare dragonriding customization |
| Lump of Coal | Battle Pet | Popular holiday collectible |
| Glowing Gift | Trinket | Scales to the item level 571 in 2025 |
| Miniature Winter Veil Tree | Dagger Transmog | Classic seasonal weapon appearance |
| Clockwork Rocket Bot | Toy | Rare, legacy Winter Veil toy |
| Wind-Up Train Wrecker | Toy | Sought-after utility toy |
| Crashin’ Thrashin’ Controllers | Toys | Required for multiple achievements |
The Garrison Strategy: A Legacy Gold Mine
The Warlords of Draenor Garrison remains a vital hub for wealth generation due to its non-soulbound rewards. Players with a Rank 3 Garrison should follow this daily rotation:
- Complete the four holiday daily quests in Frostfire Ridge.
- Collect five Merry Supplies (the total rewarded from the dailies).
- Purchase a Savage Gift from Izzy Hollyfizzle for 5 supplies.
The Savage Gift has a low but repeatable chance (commonly estimated around 1–3%) to drop the Minion of Grumpus mount. Because this mount is a BoE (Bind on Equip) item, it can be sold on the Auction House for a premium long after the event ends.
How to Earn the Merrymaker Title (Winter Veil Achievements)
| Achievement | Key Requirement | Common Pitfall |
| A Frosty Shake | Winter Veil Disguise Kit + /dance in Dalaran | Forgetting the disguise kit |
| Let It Snow | Snowflakes on specific race/class combos | Using snowflakes on random players |
| Fa-la-la-la-Ogri’la | Bomb Them Again! on flying reindeer | Missing Preserved Holly |
| With a Little Helper from My Friends | 50 HKs while Wondervolt transformed | Leaving transformation |
| Holiday Bromance | Mistletoe on Winter Revelers | Running out of Mistletoe |
| ‘Tis the Season | Wear Winter Boots + Red/Green Clothes | Wearing the wrong pieces |
| The Winter Veil Gourmet | Cook 3 holiday recipes | Missing vendor recipes |
- A Frosty Shake: This requires the Winter Veil disguise kit (received via mail after completing the Greench questline). Characters must travel to Dalaran in Crystalsong Forest, transform into a snowman, and /dance with another snowman.
- Let It Snow: Requires using “Handful of Snowflakes” on specific race/class combinations (e.g., Orc Death Knight, Human Warrior). Snowflakes are obtained from winter revelers.
- Fa-la-la-la-Ogri’la: Complete the “Bomb Them Again!” daily in Blade’s Edge Mountains while mounted on a flying reindeer (requires Preserved Holly).
- With a Little Helper from My Friends: Locate the PX-238 Winter Wondervolt machine in a major hub to transform into a Little Helper. While transformed, earn 50 Honorable Kills in Battlegrounds or War Mode.
- Hourly Item Loop: Using /kiss on a Winter Reveler in any inn once per hour provides Mistletoe, Fresh Holly, or Snowflakes. These are required for “Holiday Bromance” and “Let It Snow.”
Winter Veil Cosmetics, Holiday Hats & Hunter-Only Rewards
Throughout the event, “Brilliantly Bestowed Bosses” across Azeroth wear holiday hats. Farming these bosses provides a chance to loot permanent festive holiday hats (Red/Green) and classic Santa hats.
- Legacy Farm: Castle Nathria (Sire Denathrius).
- Modern Farm: Current expansion dungeons.
Vendor Checklist:
- Festive Red / Green Holiday sets: Inexpensive cosmetic transmogs available for gold.
- Winter Boots: Required for the “Tis the Season” achievement and the Hunter reindeer tame.
- Holiday Recipes: Essential for the “Winter Veil Gourmet” achievement.
Hunters can tame the Dreaming Festive Reindeer in the Old Hillsbrad Foothills dungeon (coordinates 36.0, 39.0). This Tenacity pet is invisible unless the character is a Hunter wearing a full set of Winter Garb, including matching Green Winter Clothes and Winter Boots.
Progression Bonuses, XP Optimization & Final Winter Veil Deadlines
The holiday overlaps with the Turbulent Timeways IV event. Completing four Timewalking dungeons in a row activates a 30% XP bonus that persists through death, providing an ideal window to level characters while farming all the holiday’s fripperies.
Winter Veil 2025 Dates and Deadlines (Don’t Miss These)
- December 25th: Claim all holiday gifts from under the Christmas Tree starting at 10:00 AM server time.
- December 30th: Final day to claim the Topsy Turvy Joker’s Mask transmog via Twitch Drops. This requires linking a Battle.net account to Twitch, watching 4 hours of WoW content, and claiming the item.
- January 2nd: The Feast of Winter Veil officially concludes.
- January 5th: The Trader’s Gilded Brutosaur is currently scheduled for removal from the in-game shop.
By maintaining a daily rotation of Greench clears and utilizing the Smokywood Pastures vendors, players can secure rare collectibles and ensure all 2025 holiday goals are met.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the WoW Winter Veil holiday start and end in 2025?
The Feast of Winter Veil runs from December 15 through January 2. Most activities are available throughout the event, but Christmas Day gifts unlock on December 25 at 10:00 AM server time, making that date especially important.
What should I do first when Winter Veil starts?
Head to your faction’s capital city (Ironforge for Alliance, Orgrimmar for Horde) and complete the initial quest chain: Greatfather Winter Is Here! → Treats for Greatfather Winter → You’re a Mean One. This unlocks all major rewards and dailies.
What are the best daily activities during Winter Veil?
The top daily priority is completing “You’re a Mean One” to defeat the Abominable Greench. This rewards a Stolen Present, which can contain rare pets, toys, transmogs, and dragonriding manuscripts. Running this daily on alts greatly improves drop chances.
What rewards come from Stolen Presents?
Stolen Presents can contain companion pets like Grunch and Lump of Coal, toys such as the Clockwork Rocket Bot, the Miniature Winter Veil Tree dagger transmog, and the Highland Drake: Winter Veil Armor manuscript.
How do I get the Winter Veil Christmas Day gifts?
On December 25, presents under Greatfather Winter’s tree become lootable. In 2025, key rewards include the Jubilant Snowman Costume (with the Snowball Fight! achievement) and the Rolling Snowball from the Gently Shaken Gift.
Can I still get rewards from previous Winter Veil years?
Yes. Many older Winter Veil toys, pets, and cosmetics are now obtainable through Stolen Presents, toy vendors, or legacy gifts under the tree, making Winter Veil one of the best catch-up holidays for collectors.
How do I earn the Merrymaker title?
The Merrymaker title requires completing a set of Winter Veil achievements, including A Frosty Shake, Let It Snow, Fa-la-la-la-Ogri’la, Holiday Bromance, and Winter Veil Gourmet. All must be completed before the event ends.
What is the Winter Veil Disguise Kit used for?
The Winter Veil Disguise Kit, received via mail after completing the Greench questline, is required for the A Frosty Shake achievement. It allows you to transform into a snowman and /dance with another snowman in Dalaran.
How does the /kiss Winter Reveler mechanic work?
Using /kiss on a Winter Reveler in an inn once per hour grants items like Mistletoe, Fresh Holly, or Snowflakes, which are required for several achievements including Holiday Bromance and Let It Snow.
What are Winter Veil vendors worth buying from?
Winter Veil vendors sell winter clothing, including Red Winter Clothes, Green Holiday Shirts, Winter Boots, holiday recipes, and cosmetics like the Gaudy Winter Veil Sweater. These are required for achievements and certain Hunter-only rewards.
Can Hunters get exclusive rewards during Winter Veil?
Yes. Hunters can tame the Dreaming Festive Reindeer in the Old Hillsbrad Foothills dungeon. The reindeer is only visible if the Hunter is wearing a full Winter Veil outfit, including Winter Boots and holiday clothing.
How do I farm gold during Winter Veil?
Gold farming focuses on Draenor Garrison dailies, which award Merry Supplies. These can be exchanged for Savage Gifts, which have a chance to drop the Minion of Grumpus mount—a BoE item that often sells for high gold.
Do bosses drop Winter Veil hats?
Yes. During Winter Veil, many bosses become Brilliantly Bestowed, wearing festive hats that can drop as permanent transmogs. These include red and green Winter Veil hats and classic Santa-style hats.
Is there a leveling bonus during Winter Veil?
Winter Veil often overlaps with Timewalking events, such as Turbulent Timeways. Completing four Timewalking dungeons grants a 30% XP bonus, making this one of the best times to level alts while farming holiday rewards.
Are there Winter Veil decorations for player housing in 2025?
No. Although festive decorations appear in capital cities, there are no official Winter Veil décor items for player housing (Homesteads) in the 2025 event.
