As the Christmas season approaches once again, many aspects of our everyday lives will be redecorated to express as much Christmas cheer as possible. Even in our video games, this happens, as many games include locations that radiate that Christmas energy that's all too familiar.

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There have been a wide variety of Christmas-themed locations in gaming across all types of games, and these are some of the most joyous of the bunch.

9 Press Garden Zone Act 2 - Sonic Mania

One of the most beautiful stages in all of Sonic Mania has to be Press Garden Zone. After clearing the first act, the stage transforms into a gorgeous winter wonderland full of snow, cherry blossom trees, and ice blocks all over.

Most levels in Sonic Mania have a gimmick of sorts, and this stages gimmick involves Sonic getting frozen and sliding through the level as an ice block. It’s a great mechanic that ties the cool aspect of the level alongside Sonic’s signature speed, as when he gets going in this form he can move just as fast as when he’s running. Press Garden Zone Act 2 is not only one of the best Winter-themed Sonic levels but one of the best 2D Sonic levels of all time.

8 Holiday Broadcasting - Gex 3

Gaming's most infamous gecko was bound to have a Christmas adventure at some point, and in Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko, the game begins with Gex traveling all the way out to the North Pole. During his trip, he will morph self-portrait ice sculptures of himself, fight against snowboarding elves, and even come across an encounter with Evil Santa.

More than anything, this level feels like a goofy 90s Christmas movie, and given the silly nature of Gex, he plays into it by tossing in a few outdated references to Christmas movies — you know, as Gex usually does.

7 Snow Land - Kirby’s Epic Yarn

The crafty aesthetic of Kirby’s Epic Yarn lends itself excellently to a Christmas-themed world, as seen by the sixth world in the game, Snow Land. When going through Snow Land, you’ll pass by plenty of pine trees, explore Christmas cabins, and snowboard through the mountains.

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All these elements tied together with the cozy vibe that the game gives off make up for a perfect combination, and give off Christmas cheer in a way only Kirby can pull off.

6 Frosty Boulevard - Street Fighter 5

Fighting is certainly not the best way to spend Christmas with your loved ones, but this is Street Fighter we’re talking about, and Capcom gave us a great Christmas-themed level to duke it out on in Street Fighter 5.

Taking place in New York City, you get to see the city all Christmas’d up with presents, sleighs, and a big Christmas tree to top it off. You can even spot Alex in the background helping decorate the City, showing even the toughest of Street Fighters have a nice side. While hand-to-hand combat is by all means an activity we'd like to avoid over the holidays, duking it out in a video game in Christmassy New York is an opportunity we won't say no to.

5 Sherbet Land - Mario Kart: Double Dash

Snow levels and kart racers are a tried-and-true combination, and Sherbet Land from Mario Kart Double Dash is one of the best of the bunch. During your race through Sherbet Land’s snowy tracks, you’ll drive past dancing snowmen, ice-skating Shy-Guys, and plenty of pine trees.

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If this wasn’t enough to put you in the Christmas mood, the music will, giving off a jolly Christmas vibe that is unmatched by any other snowy track across Mario Kart. While every Mario Kart seems to have a snow level, Double Dash's Sherbet Land has the rest of them beat in terms of Holiday Cheer.

4 Snowdin - Undertale

The first town you visit in your journey through the Underground, Snowdin is a town bursting with Christmas joy. From the lights on the houses, and the presents under the trees to the abundance of snow, it’s a town that, by the looks of it, celebrates Christmas all year round.

It’s also the home of Papyrus, who, bless his heart, is one of the most innocent-minded characters in the game, adding to the town's wholesome mood that Christmas is known for. While your stay in Snowdin doesn’t last long, it’s one that showcases the beauty of Undertale wonderfully.

3 Christmas Nights Into Dreams

These days it's rare to come across an entire video game based on Christmas; however, that's exactly what Christmas Nights into Dreams is. Released in very small quantities for the Sega Saturn, this game is much shorter than the game it’s based on, only lasting one level, but it’s given a makeover that makes it a fun Christmas-themed piece of gaming history.

The rings that Nights flies through are replaced with mistletoes; the spheres are now jingle bells; the music is a Nights' version of Jingle Bells, among other things. While it may be very short, those who love Nights are sure to get some fun out of this unique game.

2 Shiveria - Super Mario Odyssey

Hiding underneath the freezing cold Snow Kingdom in Super Mario Odyssey is a cheery little town called Shiveria. Inhabited by adorable creatures known as Shiverians, this town is full of little Christmas nods all over, such as Christmas trees and mistletoes. Couple that with the cozy bells and whistles that play during your stay, and you’ll feel the Christmas spirit down here.

Additionally, every family has their own Christmas traditions, and the Shiverians love to go head-to-head in racing competitions. By using Cappy, Mario gets to partake in this race by bouncing across the snowy racetrack, making for a fun winter-themed minigame, adding to the town’s charming personality.

1 Freezyeezy Peak - Banjo Kazooie

You can’t talk about Christmas levels without mentioning Freezyeezy Peak from Banjo-Kazooie. While it may not have been the first Christmas level, it set the bar for them going forward and few have been able to match it since. Some of the highlights include lighting up a Christmas tree, recovering presents for Boggy’s kids, and climbing all the way up the giant snowman in the center.

Freezeezy Peak also boasts one of the best winter theme levels in any game, featuring a great combination of bells, whistles, and trumpets — it's sure to strike some Christmas cheer into you just by listening to it. All these years later, Freezeezy Peak remains as one of gaming's all-time great Christmas areas.

Next: Best Games To Get You Into The Holiday Mood