Gaming’s Holiday Haters: Kratos, Bowser, and the Characters Who Skip Christmas

The season rolls around, and suddenly everything—even our favorite digital escapes—gets coated in tinsel and a suspicious amount of snow. While most games rush to wrap their characters in holiday cheer, complete with Santa hats and snowy events, we often overlook a crucial element: the gaming universe, just like our real lives, is full of people who either genuinely embrace the season or absolutely, fundamentally despise it. Who among the digital greats is ready to bake cookies, and who’s secretly plotting the demise of every decorative light strand? It’s a fascinating character study when you consider the spectrum.

It’s probably impossible to maintain an upbeat attitude when you’ve endured the kind of hardship some of these characters have.

The Ghosts of Christmas Trauma

Let’s start with the fundamentally miserable—not the ones who hate the holidays for fun, but those whose very existence makes cheer feel alien.

Take Kratos from the God of War series. Can you imagine him at a Christmas party? I certainly can’t. He’s the quintessential tragic Grinch. His rage is legendary, yes, but the root of his misery is profound, soul-deep grief and trauma. He spent decades drowning in the ashes of his family. The quiet stoicism he’s developed in the Norse realms isn’t charming indifference; it’s a robust coping mechanism to stop his heart from tearing itself apart again. He wouldn’t be actively stealing presents, but he’d sit silently by the fire, brooding so intensely that the eggnog would curdle from the sheer weight of his melancholy.

Then there’s Geralt of Rivia, our favorite White Wolf. He’s less tragic, perhaps, and more cynically resigned. Would he participate in a midwinter festival in Novigrad? Maybe, but only if he had a contract or was trying to track down Ciri. He’d probably spend the entire time brooding, reminding everyone that “Evil is evil,” even if that evil is just someone singing off-key carols. It’s hard to blame him, honestly. When you live in a world where morality is always the “lesser evil,” finding joy in frivolous celebration must feel like a betrayal of reality. His misery isn’t a weapon; it’s a shield forged from disappointment.

The Agents of Pure Chaos

Not all holiday haters are defined by complexity, though. Some are just, well, purely motivated by malice or a bizarre sense of corporate greed. These are the characters who actively want to ruin your December.

Consider Bowser. When you look at the Super Mario villain, you realize his mission isn’t just about Peach; he’s anti-joy incarnate. If Santa showed up at the Mushroom Kingdom, you know Bowser would be right there, probably using a giant mechanized claw to steal the sleigh and leave Mario a single, heavily mortgaged brick. His schemes are delightfully simple: ruin everything, preferably with lava.

Alternatively, consider GLaDOS from Portal. Her idea of a present would be a carefully wrapped, passive-aggressive insult, followed by a test chamber involving corrosive mist and mandatory holiday background music. She’s the queen of the passive-aggressive holiday greeting card—a spectacular dedication to antagonism.

And if you want a subtle menace, just look at Tom Nook from Animal Crossing. He’s not overtly evil, but I’m reasonably sure that if the holidays arrived, he’d find a way to bill you for the increased island taxes due to the weight of all those festive decorations.

The Santa Squad

Luckily, there’s a character ready to put in the often-exhausting work of spreading true cheer. Few embody that spirit better than the residents of Animal Crossing.

Specifically, Isabelle. That little Shih Tzu is the definition of tireless devotion. She never quits, even when you haven’t talked to her in three months. Her spirit is completely pure. She takes on the mantle of event planner, town decorator, and social coordinator without complaint. When Toy Day rolls around, she’s not doing it for personal gain; she’s doing it because she believes in the sheer, unadulterated goodness of giving.

We are, in a way, her co-conspirators. Your character, the Villager, is tasked with delivering presents all over the island, becoming the temporary Santa. It’s a wonderful contrast: the characters burdened by life, like Kratos, versus characters whose greatest burden is making sure every island resident gets a nice gift and doesn’t forget their scarf and that the festivities are running smoothly. The truth is, these games need both extremes. We need the brooding misery of a hero wrestling with fate to appreciate the simple, saccharine joy of seeing Isabelle in a festive sweater. It’s what gives their worlds essential texture.

So, whether you’re hiding from the celebrations like a certain Spartan god, or rushing to help your villagers deliver gifts, the holiday season proves that every gaming personality, cheerful or miserable, has a story worth telling.

Which character do you think is the most committed to their role—the Grinch or the giver? Let us know in the comments below, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram!

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Sources

• www.simplyputpsych.co.uk/gaming-psych/the-mind-of-a-monster-slayer-a-psychological-analysis-of-geralt-of-rivia/
• www.zimbardo.com/the-psychology-behind-kratos-from-god-of-war/
• www.ladiesgamers.com/video-game-characters-who-would-totally-ruin-christmas/
• www.respawning.co.uk/games/top-20-christmas-themed-video-games-part-1/

All images are AI generated