The must-have winter skins in League of Legends

Winter and Christmas festivities are fast approaching, bringing joy and cheer not only in real life but also within the virtual world of League of Legends (LoL). Although the Rift may currently not being surrounded by winter atmosphere, players can still capture the essence of winter by equipping their favorite Champions with winter-themed skins.

In contrast to the anticipated release of a winter skin line by Riot Games, which may not occur this year due to their focus on Arcane Season 2, there remains many winter skins available for players to choose from. As of 2024, the game offers a total of 58 winter-themed skins, with an additional 8 dedicated to winter sports.

Among the selection of winter skins, several stand out as the best options, providing a unique and visually appealing experience for players and spectators alike. Below are the top seven winter-themed skins in LoL that we recommend for you!

With the splash art produced by Sperasoft Studio and originally debuting in December 2013, Winter Wonder Lulu is hailed as one of the top for the older winter skins. This skin gives Lulu a unique transformation from her usual purplish appearance to a blue hue, with all of her animations reflecting this icy theme.

While the animations may not be as fancy as more recent skins, Winter Wonder Lulu stands out by featuring Poro as Pix, the lovable creatures known from Freljord, the frigid region in the northern part of Valoran. Furthermore, her ability Whimsy (W) has a special effect of turning enemies into snowmen, bringing an element of fun and whimsy to the gameplay.

Notably, this skin is classified as a legacy item, meaning it is only available for purchase during the December updates. Players can acquire it for 1350 RP or have a chance to obtain it through opening Loots.

Santa Braum is another winter skin that showcases the lovable Poro creatures, specifically in his high-speed run and recall animations. Initially introduced in December 2016, the skin's splash art was made by Crow God highlights Braum as a generous Santa figure, which aligns perfectly with his reputation as the Heart of the Freljord.

The traditional blue hues in Braum's animations are swapped out for a cheerful palette of red and green, complete with holiday decorations such as a fireplace, Christmas tree, and gift box. One unique feature of playing as Santa Braum on the Howling Abyss map is the ability to give a Poro some Poro Snax, adding mustaches to these adorable creatures.

Much like the Winter Wonder Lulu skin, Santa Braum is considered a legacy item and only purchasable during December updates. Players can acquire this skin for 1350 RP or have a chance to unlock it through Loots.

Did we mention how much we adore Poro? Because we are absolutely smitten with Poro Rider Sejuani skin! True to its name, this skin showcases a gigantic Poro accompanying Sejuani. Spash art designed by Jean 'Curing' Go, it initially debuted in December 2014 and received a makeover in May 2017.

Priced at 975 RP, this legacy skin does not come with any additional animations apart from the recall animation. Despite this, the community has wholeheartedly embraced the skin concept, as evidenced by a teaser video posted a decade ago that has garnered an impressive 687k views on YouTube.

Reindeer Kog'Maw is one of the oldest winter skins in League of Legends, having been released in December 2010. This makes it one of the rarest winter skins in the game, priced with 975 RP. However, given its age, the skin lacks grand animations found in many of the newer skins on this list.

While it may not be appealing to some players, Reindeer Kog'Maw possesses its own unique charms. His jokes emote (Ctrl+1) showcases Kog'Maw's silly attempt to sing parts of the classic Christmas song, "Deck The Halls."

Additionally, this skin can interact with Silent Night Sona, allowing both champions to sing the full song together. This interaction adds a fun and festive touch, making the skin a nostalgic favorite for long-time players.

Ice King Twitch is one of the newer winter skins in LoL, released in December 2018. This skin allows players to transform the once dingy green rat into a majestic blue figure for 1350 RP, complete with a series of elaborate animations, including for basic attacks, abilities, and recall. It also comes with five Chromas, so you can change Twitch appearance according to your preference.

One of the main selling points of this skin is its basic attack sound effects (SFX) which resemble the sound of shattering ice, an immersive touch that enhances the overall experience. Additionally, the splash art created by Mingchen Shen effectively showcases Twitch as a majestic yet villainous Ice King, capturing the essence of both grandeur and mischief.

Winterblessed Diana is currently LoL most expensive winter skin, featuring a Legendary rarity and priced at 1820 RP. The splash art, created by talented artist Bo "chenbowow" Chen, was released in December 2022.

This skin introduces a set of brand-new animations, including SFX and VFX, unique voice lines, as well as basic attack, abilities, running, and recall animations. Moreover, Winterblessed Diana can change between blue and purple form, in addition to six Chromas to customize Diana's appearance further.

The best feature of Winterblessed Diana is, when she achieves a Pentakill, she alters the map with a mesmerizing aurora. This breathtaking display can be seen by both her allies and enemies, significantly enhancing the excitement of the game. Currently, this special feature is exclusive to three skins: Empyrean Pyke, Winterblessed Diana, and Soul Fighter Samira.

It easily becomes the best skin for Diana mains, allowing them to showcase their Pentakills in style while elevating their gameplay experience. This makes Winterblessed Diana not just a cosmetic upgrade, but a standout choice for players who want to make a statement in matches.

Winterblessed Hwei, recognized as one of the hardest champions in League of Legends to create a skin for due to his ten different skill combinations — each with its own visual effects (VFX) and sound effects (SFX) — rightfully deserves a spot on this list.

Horace "Hozure" Hsu, the skin's splash artist, describes the piece as his roughest one ever. It costs 1350 RP, which is considered a good value since players receive a complete SFX/VFX rework along with the skin. It was released in December 2022, as part of the same skin line as Winterblessed Diana.

Winterblessed Hwei transforms all of his abilities into bluish and purplish visuals, making them appear quite similar and often confusing for enemies to differentiate. . The skin also comes with nine Chromas, allowing players to customize Hwei's appearance based on their personal preferences.

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