WRUP: Ho ho ho

Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW Insider staff and ask them, "What are you playing this week?" -- otherwise known as: WRUP. Join us to see what we're up to in and out of game -- and catch us in the comments to let us know what you're playing, too!

I am lying in wait, Greatfather Winter. There better be something really good in these boxes. They've been taunting me for weeks. Another Red Rider Air Rifle isn't going to cut it, either. There better be something amazing in there.

How about we check with the rest of the staff and see if they're as neurotic about waiting for Winter Veil -- or up to other Christmas-related activities this weekend?

Adam Holisky (@adamholisky): Will be going home to Minneapolis this Christmas to celebrate the holidays with Katie's and my families. Of course, that won't prevent me from "going to bed early" and finish leveling an alt up to 85.

Alex Ziebart (AlexZiebart): Alex decided not to say anything this week and thus left me to fill in his response. So, for those eagerly awaiting the answer, Alex will be snuggling with his biffles and watching the latest release of the Twilight saga on DVD. Watch those werewolf abs Alex; I heard you can poke an eye out on those things.

Allison Robert (@AllisonRobert): I probably won't be around much this weekend, but if I get a chance, I'll be doing some heroics with friends and leveling archaeology a bit more. Sort of enjoying a break from raiding, too! Oh, and I'll be getting coked up on cough syrup to write The Druid of 2010.

Anne Stickney (@Shadesogrey): I have 16 people coming over for Christmas day (what have I gotten myself into?), so this weekend is going to be family family family pretty much, with a little WoW sprinkled in here and there for good measure! I'm still working on gearing up my main and trying to decide whether or not to race change her to goblin, because they are that amazing.

Basil Berntsen (@outdps): It's Christmas! I'll be chasing the toddler around the house, helping my wife cook for an army of in-laws, and answering day job emails from home to try and finish a last-minute, Hail Mary project.

Chase Christian (@madsushi): I will be playing a lot of WoW, definitely more than I've played in the past couple of months. My holy paladin finally hit level 84, so I'll be leaning into the final grind to 85 on her soon. My rogue is going to be leveled second since I already leveled him once on the beta and since I can quest much faster as a DPS spec.

Colby Moore (@TheArenaGuy): Recording more rated battlegrounds and arena. I might transfer my warlock to Kel'Thuzad alliance to have a bit more access to high-level PvP. Auchindoun is an awesome server, but only about 15 people at any given time want to PvP. Other than that, I'm going down to my wife's parents house for Christmas, so I'll probably be playing a fair amount of chess.

Daniel Whitcomb (@danielwhitcomb): Now that ore prices are down quite a bit, I'm leveling my engineering. I still feel a little like I'm frittering away money when I make Electrified Ether, but I do want to see if I can get those goggles before I replace them with raid gear this time around. I'm also getting Loremaster of Cataclysm out of the way now while I have the chance. Only 40 more quests in Uldum to go, and I'm done!

Dan O'Halloran: Going to make the final push on finishing all the Vashj'ir quests on my main. I swear that zone is the Stranglethorn Vale of Cataclysm. Also, enjoying healing instances more than I thought, so will be doing more of that with my druid. Hope to get further with my enhancement shaman alt as well. He is in Western Plaguelands now and enjoying the revamped quests there. Oh yeah, also have 25 people over for Christmas and will be spending much of Christmas Eve wrapping gifts for the kids after they go to bed.

Elizabeth Wachowski (@leeatwaterlives): I'm not working for once, so I'll be spending time with my boyfriend's family and leveling my druid and hunter. I'm also enjoying Golden Sun: Dark Dawn for the DS, and I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to see what Zelda and Final Fantasy would be like merged into one game.

Joe Perez (@Lodurzj): Raiding! trying to kill Twilight Council and Cho'gall. Should be good times. For the holiday, I'll be spending it with my extended family out at my aunt's house. Half of us are WoW addicts, so I expect the conversation to be the normal, "How's the rest of the family doing" for about 30 minutes. After that, it will likely be a family discussion of Cataclysm and raid strategies and a battle with my cousin over who is better, paladin or shaman (of course we already know the answer is shaman! :P).

Kelly Aarons (@Cadistra): I got Cadistra though Hyjal, and I keep trying to finish Vash'jir. It's the zone that never ends, I swear. Will also probably quest with my baby pally through Ashenvale. As for the holidays? Eh. Small family, lives in another town. It's just another day for me.

Lisa Poisso (@emused): Cooking, eating, drinking, reading, sleeping, playing Kinect until my arms and legs fall off, running instances, dressing in fabulous new sweaters and jewelry, cooking, eating, drinking, sleeping, playing Kinect after my arms and legs have fallen off, running instances...

Mathew McCurley (@gomatgo): Xmas on Staten Island, podcasting, playing WoW and just taking a break.

Matthew Rossi (@matthewwrossi): Well, stayed up waaaaaaay too late writing a complete guide to all non-heroic drops for warriors in every single Cataclysm dungeon. Now I hope to sleep until January. Somehow I expect my warriors will be played, and perhaps my subconscious will get me another Foe Reaper.

Sarah Nichol (@mentalshaman): I will still be moving! Actually I'll be taking a brief sojourn from the game, as my computer access is reduced. Spending time with family and making sure this move goes right is the important thing this week. This is my third year doing the cooking, and I'll be doing a cider and apple turkey, with apricot and almond stuffing, and once I am full of Christmas pudding, I'm going to be watching the Doctor Who Christmas special. My character finally has all her profession buffs and her first epic, so she's going to be relaxing in the Golden Keg with a pint while I'm off elsewhere.

Zach Yonzon (@battlemasters): RL responsibilities have barred me from entering Azeroth for almost a week now, and I have lofty ambitions of taking the very short break I have this holiday weekend of turbo-leveling my actual main to 85. I heard it can be done in less than 24 hours straight without causing any permanent brain damage. Or maybe I'll get some sleep first, but I might wake up in January like Rossi.

The weekend is the perfect time to kick back, relax and enjoy some game time. Are you an achievement junkie? Can't get enough raiding? Rolling a new alt? Considering taking the leap into roleplaying? Whatever your favorite way to play World of Warcraft, let us know in the comments what you're playing this weekend!