FarmVille Gears Up for Holidays: Something for everyone

It's that time of year again and FarmVille has briskly moved into the wintery escape of the holiday season. This is the second week of free, regular access to FarmVille Mistletoe Lane farm, and FarmVille is making sure to cover all the bases when it comes to the holidays. There's a little something for everyone.

FarmVille is going on its fourth year of celebrating Christmas or the Holidays, as Zynga still prefers to keep things politically correct. May I remind you that FarmVille is an all-inclusive game with a wide audience of players from around the world and from all types of beliefs. Not everyone celebrates Christmas. Gasp. So as it may be, Christmas trees are named Holiday trees and the word Christmas is rarely, if ever, used as a moniker for a Limited Edition item or feature. There's never been a nativity scene, despite farmers' requests. I suspect you will be kept waiting along with the farmers still asking the big Z for a FarmVille church decorative building. Lady Gaga's Electric Chapel just isn't the same. That aside, there's certainly no lack of holiday spirit that can be enjoyed by all players as Zynga always strives to make this a special time of year in FarmVille.

Here's the breakdown on all things merry thus far, expect more merriment to follow.

Festival of Lights Countdown
There's a FarmVille Festival of Food & Lights countdown ongoing. The countdown, an obvious but never mentioned ode to the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, which is also referred to as The Festival of Lights, features prizes such as a Menorah and Dreidel Duck.This is actually the first time ever that Zynga has included Hanukkah in all the holiday fun and we're glad that they acknowledged it because many of you felt completely forgotten.

Find Your Shopping Personality
There's a "What's Your Shopping Personality?" voting feature fittingly released on the aftermath of Black Friday and Cyber Monday to appease the seasonal shopaholics searching for the perfect gift. Holiday shopping-- check.

Double Cheer Statue

Feeling a little Ebenezer Scrooge-ish? Perhaps a lifetime of Double Cheer Points, the preferred XP (experience points) of FarmVille Mistletoe Lane will give you something to smile about. For a limited amount of time you can purchase a Double Cheer Statue, which will grant you double CP forever. Although, cheer doesn't come cheap as it'll set you back 250 Farm Cash.

Build Your Cheery Realty

Hanging Christmas lights on your house can be such a pain, but that's why there's an option for you to design your own piece of Cheery Realty in FarmVille! It's much easier decorating virtually and as a bonus there's no hassle with tangled lights. Similar to the previous My FarmVille Dream Home feature, you can build and customize your very own Cheery Cottage, Gingerbread House, or Cheery Mansion by collecting parts and recruiting the help of your FarmVille friends.

Holiday Questing

There are several ongoing quests in FarmVille with holiday themed rewards. FarmVille Mistletoe Lane features a weekly exclusive quest-line with holiday rewards and is currently on chapter four (check out the quest guide here). There's also an upcoming Stevie's Snow Wars quest-line that debuts later today and can be completed on any of your FarmVille farms. Expect more quests covered in Christmassy cheer.

Limited Edition Holiday Finds

The FarmVille Market adds new market items several times a week and many of the recent themes are holiday inspired. You can find snow-covered animals, trees, and decorations all hoping to bring some cheer to your farm and add to the festivities. There's currently a "White Holiday" theme, please just say it (Christmas) already. Let's give Bing his rightful player points. On Wednesday, a fun Candy Lane theme boasting market items covered in your favorite holiday sweets and treats. The FarmVille Market becomes a magical place this time of year with Limited Edition items galore. Surely you can find something to spruce up your farm or send to one of your farmin' friends.

FarmVille & Toys for Tots

Tis' the season of giving! Zynga and FarmVille team up with the Toys for Tots organization in a new in-game promotion. For just one dollar you can send a friend a Cheer Ewe Up Horse and get an exclusive tree for yourself. All proceeds will benefit Toys for Tots who helps find and distribute Christmas gifts for less fortunate kids. Read more about it here.

Gemstone Crops

If you are already stressing over the holidays and the hustle and bustle of this time of year and would prefer to farm without the holidays crammed down your throat, there's something for you too. There's new FarmVille crops and guess what? They have nothing to do with Santa, candy canes, shopping for presents, or singing carols. The Gemstone crops offer a new challenge in Crop Mastery, as you will have to fulfill mastery pre-requisites to unlock and master these chained crops.

Let there be options, and let us all be merry!

Angela Morales created and manages FarmVille Freak, the largest FarmVille fan site, which provides news, tips and in-game updates for Zynga's Facebook farm game as it happens. She is also the co-author of FarmVille For Dummies book. Yes, it exists.