Greatfather Winter

According to ancient lore, Greatfather Winter is an ethereal wanderer who walks the world late in the year, casting his billowing snowy cloak across the land so nature may slumber and be reborn. Dwarves view him as an embodiment or herald of the titans, pointing to the frosted crags of Dun Morogh as living proof of his favor. Other traditions, such as those of the tauren, respect his role in the season's turning while attributing the cold and storms to the elemental work of the Sun and Moon, giving the Earth Mother time to rest. Wherever the legend traveled, communities learned to gather and feast together against the cold, celebrating the promise of returning life.

In major settlements like Ironforge and Orgrimmar, the ancient spirit has been thoroughly reshaped by the enterprising goblins of Smokywood Pastures. The trading cartel popularized the depiction of Greatfather Winter as a jolly, red-suited elder with a white beard who rides a flying sleigh and hands out holiday treats and toys. Smokywood Pastures hires local actors—a dwarf in Ironforge and an orc in Orgrimmar—to listen to children's wishlists, receive offerings of milk and gingerbread cookies, and advertise seasonal merchandise beneath lavishly decorated trees.