Best Toys

“We’ve typically prepared things like presents and joke endows, so everyone has a amaze on Christmas morning. We typically render each other[ pets] or toys[ in video games] that we don’t have.

“We just have fun, and celebrate like anyone would on a normal Christmas – we have a Christmas dinner, and then take part in group activities like hide-and-seek and scavenger hunts, which I love.

“I play on Christmas Day because we enjoy each other’s corporation. People that don’t know who they are in real life or who aren’t close physically can still spend time together and make a connection in the game.

“I’m in Cheltenham, some friends are in Bath, some are in London, so we can’t meet up in real life. So we play World of Warcraft together.

“Not everyone has a family that’s close together, so you can’t readily meet up on Christmas Day. A virtual world is a great home where you can compensate for that.”

‘It’s stirred our relationship better’

Image copyright Blizzard Entertainment Image caption Naomi Elcoat says video games renders her daughter a “wider Christmas experience”

“In the morning, me and two daughters will log into World of Warcraft after opening presents in real life, and go to Orgrimmar and assure what presents Father Winter has left for our attributes, ” says 33 -year-old Naomi Elcoat from Bolton.

“Last year was her first Christmas in the game so she got loads of brand-new things, she was really excited. We then went to Timeless Isle because we had gotten some in-game currency for Christmas and bought some[ pets ].

“Doing this has induced my relationship with two daughters better. In 2017, we got her video games, belief she would get bored in a few months. Boy, was I incorrect.

“Her dad enjoys that we will go in-game together, and I continue her busy while he’s prepare.

“It’s also good because I can keep an eye on how she acts online and I can vet her friends, but likewise teach her about online safety.

“We also don’t have family nearby plummeting in on Christmas Day, so spending time in-game with pals affords her a wider Christmas experience – specially seeing as a clod of people we know[ in video games] are from all over Europe.

“She requests them how they celebrate and how they salute each other, then joins in with them. She’s an absolute star.”

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‘It’s like two seconds life’

Image copyright Stefan Szalk Image caption Stefan Szalk says he started playing the game to escape strains at home

“My dad was an alcoholic – he divorced my mum and died when I was quite young. That built going home for Christmas a bit hard for me, so I moved out when I was 16, ” says 27 -year-old Stefan Szalk from Wigan.

“My friends[ online] were there for me – messaging me on Christmas eve, stirring sure I was OK and requesting what my a blueprint for Christmas Day were since they are knew I was going to be alone.

“When I logged in on Christmas Day, lo and behold, there were about six members of your best friend online and they all pleased me a happy Christmas, and bided online to make sure I was OK.

“When I was striving, I was depressed and if I wasn’t playing World of Warcraft, I’d likely have found some way to drink.

“It’s like two seconds life. You can escape from the real world and live in Azeroth. You don’t need to worry about what’s going on in the real world, you can just play-act and do whatever you want.

“A lot of the things that you get from a generic Christmas, you can get from playing video games.

“They ever have festive characters around, you can still open a represented in the morning under a tree, you consider people wearing Christmas attires everywhere.

“It’s such a unique experience.”

‘It induces the working day less daunting’

Image copyright Joseph Morriss Image caption Joseph Morriss says his pals online corroborated him when he had to “restart” his life

“Because of my break-up with my spouse, I’ve lost a lot of my friends and plainly a lot of household, ” says Joseph Morriss, from Fife in Scotland.

“So the path for me to spend time with the people that I desire is online in the World of Warcraft.

“I’ve had a really hard time trying to restart my life from good-for-nothing.[ My pals online] helped corroborate me, they helped get me through my tough times, and through that, the relationships I’ve constructed are totally set into stone.

“On Christmas Day, I’m hoping to run some of my own events for the people I play with. We’ll be doing some timed dungeon events to check who can complete them the fastest.

“You can even cook a little roast turkey too, which we plan to do.

“You want to invest Christmas with the people you care about – it doesn’t question whether it’s with their own families, your best friend, or people you met online.

“It stirs the day a little less daunting because there just seems to be this enormous belief of spending Christmas with friends and family, but not everybody in countries around the world has those relationships.

“For me, my friends are all online and that is how I have to celebrate with them if I want to celebrate Christmas.”