Pokémon GO Holiday Event Part 1 2024 Guide Start Time Bonuses Wild Encounters

Get ready, Trainers! Pokémon GO’s Holiday Part 1 event kicks off on December 17, 2024, bringing festive cheer with the debut of a holiday-costumed Dedenne, the first-ever Shiny Sandygast, doubled XP for catches, halved egg hatch distances, and a sleigh-full of winter-themed Pokémon encounters and special research tasks to brighten your season.

Below we list all the perks and bonuses for Pokémon Go’s “Holiday Part 1” 2024 event.

Pokémon Go ’Holiday Part 1’ event Timed Research and reward

The Pokémon Go ’Holiday Part 1’ 2024 event features a Timed Research quest available from December 17 to December 22, offering players festive-themed tasks and valuable rewards. Completing the Timed Research grants encounters with event Pokémon like Holiday Attire Dedenne and Sandygast, along with items such as Stardust, Poké Balls, and Premium Battle Passes. Players can choose between two research paths focusing on either ice-type or fire-type Pokémon, rewarding Alolan Vulpix or Shadow Kantonian Vulpix respectively. Additionally, a paid Timed Research option is available for $2.00 USD, which includes two Premium Battle Passes, one Incubator, 1,500 Stardust, and encounters with event-themed Pokémon.

If you complete this research before the event ends, you’ll get a special reward. The research branches between two choices: helping Spark or finding Sierra. If you help Spark, you’ll focus more on ice-type Pokémon and you’ll get an Alolan Vulpix. If you look for Sierra, you’ll focus on fire-type Pokémon and you’ll get a shadow Kantonian Vulpix.

Which branch should you pick, Spark or Sierra? It largely doesn’t matter. If you like collecting shadow Pokémon, you may want to grab the Shadow Vulpix from Sierra, but neither versions of these Vulpix (nor their evolutions, Ninetales) are used for any meta, so it doesn’t particularly make a difference.

Pokémon Go Holiday Part 1 Timed Research step 1 of 3

• Catch 10 fire- or ice-type Pokémon (10 Great Balls)
• Spin 5 PokéStops or gyms (Bergmite encounter)
• Explore 2 km (Sandygast encounter)

Rewards: 1,000 Stardust, 1,000 XP

Pokémon Go Holiday Part 1 Timed Research step 2 of 3

• Catch 10 ice-/fire-type Pokémon (10 Pinap Berries)
• Take snapshots of 5 different type Pokémon (20 Poké Balls)
• Complete 5 Field Research Tasks (500 Stardust)

Rewards: Alolan/shadow Vulpix encounter, 2,000 XP

Pokémon Go Holiday Part 1 Timed Research step 3 of 3

• Catch 25 ice-/fire-type Pokémon (10 Ultra Balls)
• Power up ice-/fire-type Pokémon 10 times (1 Golden Razz Berry)
• Collect MP from 3 Power Spots (100 Max Particles)

Rewards: Sandygast encounter, 3,000 XP, 2,000 Stardust

Pokémon Go Holiday Part 1 Timed Research final step

• Claim reward! (2,500 XP)

Rewards: 2,500 Stardust

Pokémon Go Holiday Part 1’ event Collection Challenges

During the Pokémon Go Holiday Part 1 event (December 17-22, 2024), players can complete three distinct Collection Challenges: “Ice to Meet You,” “Hot to Go,” and “Festive Friend.” Each challenge focuses on catching specific Pokémon such as Cryogonal, Swinub, Bergmite, Alolan Sandshrew, Sandygast, Darumaka, Litleo, Alolan Diglett, and the debut of Holiday Attire Dedenne. Completing these challenges rewards players with valuable items including Stardust, Great Balls, and Poké Balls. Many of these Pokémon can be found in the wild, raids, or through field research, making the event a festive opportunity to expand your collection and earn bonuses.

The following Collection Challenges will be live throughout the duration of the event:

Holiday Part 1 Collection Challenge: Ice to Meet You

• Catch a Cryogonal
• Catch a Swinub
• Catch a Bergmite
• Catch an Alolan Sandshrew

Rewards: 2,000 Stardust, 15 Great Balls

Holiday Part 1 Collection Challenge: Hot to Go

• Catch a Sandygast
• Catch a Darumaka
• Catch a Litleo
• Catch an Alolan Diglett

Rewards: 2,000 Stardust, 15 Great Balls

Holiday Part 1 Collection: Festive Friend

• Catch a Dedenne (holiday)

Rewards: 10 Poké Balls, 10 Great Balls

Pokémon Go ’Holiday Part 1’ event Field Research and rewards

During the Pokémon Go ’Holiday Part 1’ 2024 event, running from December 17 to December 22, players can complete special Field Research tasks that reward encounters with festive Pokémon. The tasks include catching 10 Pokémon to encounter a Holiday Hat Eevee, catching 10 Ground-type Pokémon for a Sandygast encounter, catching 15 Fire-type Pokémon to meet an Alolan Marowak, and catching 20 Ice-type Pokémon to encounter Cryogonal, all with shiny variants available. Additionally, the event features a Timed Research quest where players choose to assist either Spark or Sierra, leading to rewards such as Alolan Vulpix or Shadow Vulpix. Completing these tasks grants valuable items, XP, and unique Pokémon encounters, including the debut of Holiday Attire Dedenne.

Spinning a PokéStop during the event period may yield one of these tasks:

• Catch 10 Pokémon (Eevee [holiday hat] encounter)
• Catch 10 ground-type Pokémon (Sandygast encounter)
• Catch 15 fire-type Pokémon (Alolan Marowak encounter)
• Catch 20 ice-type Pokémon (Cryogonal encounter)

Pokémon Go ’Holiday Part 1’ event boosted spawns

The Pokémon Go ’Holiday Part 1’ 2024 event, running from December 17 to December 22, features boosted spawns of several festive and winter-themed Pokémon. Players can encounter increased numbers of Alolan Sandshrew, Alolan Diglett, Swinub, Delibird with a holiday ribbon, Numel, Snover, Darumaka, Litleo, Bergmite, and Sandygast in the wild, with many of these available in shiny forms for the first time, including Shiny Sandygast. This boost aligns with the event’s winter theme and offers players ample opportunities to catch these Pokémon along with event bonuses like double XP for catches and halved egg hatch distances.

These Pokémon will spawn more frequently during the event period:

• Alolan Sandshrew
• Alolan Diglett
• Swinub
• Delibird (holiday ribbon)
• Numel
• Snover
• Darumaka
• Litleo
• Bergmite
• Sandygast

Pokémon Go ’Holiday Part 1’ event egg hatches

During the Pokémon GO Holiday Part 1 event in 2024, players can enjoy a special 1/2 hatch distance bonus for Eggs placed in Incubators, making it easier and faster to hatch Pokémon. The 7 km Eggs obtained during the event will hatch festive and region-specific Pokémon including Hisuian Growlithe, Summer Style Pichu, Holiday Spheal, Holiday Cubchoo, Amaura, and Charcadet. Many of these Pokémon also have a chance to appear in shiny form, adding to the excitement of the event. This hatch pool complements the event’s broader holiday theme and offers players a chance to expand their collections with unique and seasonal Pokémon.

These Pokémon have a chance to hatch from any 7 km eggs obtained during the event:

• Hisuian Growlithe
• Pichu (summer hat)
• Spheal (holiday scarf)
• Cubchoo (holiday ribbon)
• Amaura
• Charcadet

Pokémon Go ’Holiday Part 1’ event raid targets

During the Pokémon Go “Holiday Part 1” event running from December 17 to December 22, 2024, a festive lineup of raid bosses will be available across different raid tiers. One-Star Raids will feature Winter Carnival Pikachu, Holiday Psyduck, Holiday Attire Dedenne, and Sandygast. Three-Star Raids will include Holiday Stantler, Undersea Holiday Glaceon, and Cryogonal. Mega Raids will showcase Mega Latias replacing Mega Latios starting December 19, with both Mega Latias and Mega Latios available at different times. This event also marks the debut of Holiday Attire Dedenne and the first chance to encounter Shiny Sandygast in raids.

The following changes to the raid schedule and Max Battle schedule will take place as part of the event:

Holiday Part 1 raid line-up

The Holiday Part 1 raid line-up in Pokémon GO for 2024 features a festive selection of raid bosses across different tiers. One-Star raids include Pikachu in a Winter Carnival outfit, Psyduck and Dedenne both wearing holiday attire, and Sandygast, all of which can appear as shiny. Three-Star raids feature Stantler in a holiday outfit, Glaceon in an Undersea Holiday outfit, and Cryogonal, also shiny-eligible. Mega raids during this event will have Mega Latias and Mega Latios available, with shiny forms possible as well. This diverse raid line-up offers players numerous opportunities to catch seasonal and shiny Pokémon throughout the event running from December 17 to December 22, 2024.

What surprises does the debut of holiday-costumed Dedenne hold for players

The debut of holiday-costumed Dedenne in Pokémon GO’s Holiday Part 1 event offers players a festive new way to catch this Electric-type Pokémon, featuring an adorable Santa hood, pom-poms on its ear, and jingle bells on its tail. This special Dedenne appears as a 1-star raid boss, making it accessible even for solo players, and comes with the exciting chance to encounter a rare Shiny variant dressed in holiday attire. The event also grants 2× XP from catches and halves egg hatch distances, enhancing the overall festive gameplay experience.

Will the holiday Dedenne’s costume make it more collectible for fans

Yes, the holiday-costumed Dedenne is expected to be highly collectible for fans due to its festive and adorable design, featuring a Santa hood, pom-poms, and jingle bells, which adds a unique charm compared to the regular Dedenne. Players have expressed excitement and a strong desire to add this special costume variant to their collections, with many noting that themed costume events are particularly enjoyable and collectible. Additionally, the availability of a rare Shiny version of the holiday Dedenne further increases its appeal and collectibility among players aiming to complete their holiday-themed Pokémon lineup. The fact that it appears as a 1-star raid boss, which is easy to defeat even solo, makes it accessible and encourages players to catch and keep multiple copies.