Hit the phone tree: There’s a new entry from Netflix Stories, and it’s set in Virgin River. The idyllic Northern California small town is a little different this time. The wildfires aren’t anything to worry about. In A Virgin River Christmas, the titular town is decked out to the nines in yuletide cheer, and there’s a hint of love swirling alongside the scent of roasted chestnuts. Get out the fuzzy socks and hot cocoa; this is the heartwarming holiday experience you’ve always wanted. 

What’s Netflix Stories: A Virgin River Christmas about?

Sometimes, all you need to start writing is a deadline and no distractions. The former comes part and parcel with every assignment, but the latter is particularly elusive. In this Netflix Story, your novelist, Main Character, finds themselves spending the holidays tucked into a remote cabin in Virgin River, trying like crazy to finish their first novel by Christmas Day. 

You get to customize your writer with outfits and appearances, give them a name, pick their pronouns, and start procrastinating ... err, finding inspiration. Within the mobile game’s opening minutes, you’re already getting texts from your agent asking for status updates.

And you thought your holidays were stressful. 

Thankfully, you’re surrounded by friendly faces eager to welcome your avatar into their close-knit California community. There’s an expiration date on your stay, however –– or is there? The allure of affection, the Christmas Village, and the annual tree decorating competition could make hitting your deadline difficult. 

Creativity strikes in the most unexpected places. Maybe staring at a blinking cursor from sunup to sundown isn’t the best approach. Taking the polar bear plunge with a special someone could coax the words out of your brain. Or, hitting Mel’s stocking decorating party and adhering to mistletoe tradition with your boo. 

As always, Christmas Day creeps up when you aren’t looking. Your agent won’t give you a deadline extension, and your rental’s host will be back by the time all the wrapping paper’s been recycled. Then there’s that budding romance you’ve been tending to. This just might be the start of your own happily ever after. Where will the story go from here? That’s up to you, the author.

What kind of game is A Virgin River Christmas?

Like other Netflix Stories, A Virgin River Christmas is a visual novel where the main gameplay is based on making dialogue choices and forming relationships with characters from the cozy Netflix show. What you “say” and the decisions you make will shape how the story plays out, including who you romance and how the story concludes. You’ll visit locations from the show and form friendships with the cast as you navigate this narrative adventure, one choice at a time. 

What locations from the show are in A Virgin River Christmas?

You’ll explore a number of your favorite spots from Virgin River. You might not be able to get a cosmo at Jack’s bar, but your first drink’s on the house, and you can absolutely have brunch there with your found family on Christmas Day. Christmas Village? Maybe that’s where you’ll cross paths with your first potential love interest. You never know. Virgin River has a way of giving you what you need, even if it isn’t what you expected. 

•  Christmas Village
•  Ice skating rink
•  The Holiday Show
•  Mel’s cabin
•  Jack’s bar and more

Which cast members from the show are in A Virgin River Christmas?

In Netflix Stories: A Virgin River Christmas, you’ll hang out with a ton of familiar faces from the show. You might even fall in love with a few of them. Mel and Jack are inseparable, so don’t get any ideas. Brady, Brie, and Mike are all open to a red-and-green romance, however. There are a few swoon-worthy new characters that might tickle your fancy, too:

• Mel
• Jack
• Preacher
• Hope
• Doc
• Lydie
• Muriel
• Ricky
• Lizzie
• Connie
• Brady
• Mike
• Brie

Do I need to watch the show to play Netflix Stories: A Virgin River Christmas?

Typically we’d say “no” here, and while you can totally play A Virgin River Christmas without watching the heartwarming hit Netflix show, if you want to make the most of your time in this fictitious NorCal hamlet, it’s best if you familiarize yourself with the source material in advance. It’s also the only way you’ll pick up on the Easter eggs hidden cleverly throughout the game. 

Watching five seasons of the show takes time, we get it. Maybe play through the first Virgin River mobile game instead. That way, you’ll have a bit of backstory about the town and its residents, and can get your feet wet before settling in for the winter ahead. Plus, it’s the perfect excuse to put that deadline off just a little longer. After all, if it weren’t for the last minute, nothing would ever get done. 

When does A Virgin River Christmas take place?

A Virgin River Christmas takes place in a time frame similar to Season 5 of the show, when the town is gearing up for the annual Christmas tree decorating contest. This year’s theme? Little Saint Nick. 

Where can I get A Virgin River Christmas? Is it free?

With a Netflix subscription, you can play A Virgin River Christmas ad-free and with no in-app purchases and no extra fees. Just download it to your Android or iOS device right here and sign into your Netflix account.

When does A Virgin River Christmas come out?

Download Netflix Stories: A Virgin River Christmas right here and play ad-free with your Netflix subscription.

Check out all the mobile games available now on Netflix.