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 Nymeria the Spinner , and in modern times is even known as the Saint of Nymeria , with children believing that this now - immortal - if - unseen figure delivers their wishes for presents to Nymeria 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 : 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 . 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 . 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 . 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 . 2016 . Scheduled from Thursday , December 15 , 2016 to Saturday , December 31 , 2016 . 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 . 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 " . " " is a theme for the event .