Guide to Pokémon GO Holiday Part 1 Event

The festive spirit is about to take over Pokémon GO as the Holiday Part 1 event gears up to launch exciting seasonal activities. This event promises a host of engaging features, including the introduction of a new costumed Pokémon, generous spawn rates, enticing event bonuses, specially curated Egg pools, an exclusive selection of raid bosses, and much more. Players can expect an immersive experience filled with festive cheer during this initial celebration.

It’s important to note that this is only the “first part”of the holiday festivities. Following the conclusion of Part 1, Pokémon GO will roll out a Part 2 event shortly thereafter—complete with new Pokémon, various bonuses, and additional raid bosses. Keeping track of the current raid boss schedule and the Max Monday lineup will help players maximize their enjoyment throughout December 2024. Be prepared for a diverse offering as the game wraps up the year with these festive events.

Holiday Part 1 Start Date & Time

Five Days in December

Pokemon GO key art for Holiday Part 1 event featuring Dedenne and Sandygast

The much-anticipated Holiday Part 1 event kicks off in Pokémon GO on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, beginning at 10:00 AM local time and running until Sunday, December 22, 2024, at 9:59 AM. With this time frame set in local hours, you won’t need to worry about converting times for your region.

Additionally, an Ultra Holiday Box will be available in the Pokémon GO Web Store, which includes a Storage upgrade, an Item Bag upgrade, and 17 Rare Candies.

In comparison to previous events, this five-day celebration offers a more extended opportunity to participate. For context, the debut of Gigantamax Lapras occurred in a brief three-hour window, while Community Days typically last for just as long. With the extended duration of Holiday Part 1, players can leisurely explore all the features on offer amid their holiday festivities.

All Pokémon Debuts During Holiday Part 1 Event

A Christmas-Themed Dedenne

Holiday attire Dedenne in front of Pokemon GO Dual Destiny season art — Custom image by Ben Williams

This event heralds the arrival of one notable Pokémon: Dedenne, now adorning festive holiday attire. The Antenna Pokémon will be sporting an adorable Santa hood, complete with pom-poms and jingle bells adorning its tail. Although this delightful creature has been a part of the game since its introduction during the Festival of Lights in November 2021, its costumed variant remains a favorite among trainers. Do note that these variants are purely cosmetic, with no changes to their stats.

For collectors of themed Pokémon, this Dedenne is not to be missed. Moreover, there is also a chance to encounter a Shiny version of this holiday-themed Dedenne, which appears with a spawn rate of approximately 1 in 256. Though the chances may seem slim, persistence and good luck could reward players with this festive variant.

Increased Spawns & Wild Encounters During The Holiday Part 1 Event

Fitting the Winter Theme

As soon as the Holiday Part 1 event launches, players can expect an uptick in specific Pokémon spawns, highlighting a diverse mix with a particularly wintry focus. Expect to see increased appearances of:

Alolan Sandshrew
Swinub
give name
Litleo

This selection offers a good variety of Ice-type Pokémon that are perfectly aligned with the winter theme. Here’s a detailed overview of increased spawns and their Shiny availability:

Increased Spawn	Can It Be Shiny?
Alolan Diglett	Yes
Alolan Sandshrew	Yes
Bergmite	Yes
Darumaka	Yes
Delibird	Yes
Litleo	Yes
give name	Yes
Sandygast	Yes
Snover	Yes
Swinub	Yes

Notably, Sandygast also has a possibility to be Shiny during this event, alongside Delibird, which makes a return with its holiday-themed ribbon. With most of these Pokémon being capable of shining, trainers have ample opportunity to enhance their collections with dazzling variants.

All Raids During The Holiday Part 1 Event

Some Festive Bosses

The Holiday Part 1 event will introduce a fresh lineup of One- and Three-Star Raids to Pokémon GO, featuring Pokémon dressed in festive attire. This includes:Pikachu in a Winter Carnival Outfit, Psyduck in holiday garb, and Glaceon in an Undersea Holiday outfit. Mega Raids will also continue as part of the current Raid schedule. Below is the complete array of raid bosses featured during the holiday festivities:

Raid Boss	Raid Type	Can It Be Shiny?
Dedenne (Holiday attire)	One-Star	Yes
Pikachu (Winter Carnival)	One-Star	Yes
Psyduck (Holiday attire)	One-Star	Yes
Sandygast	One-Star	Yes
Cryogonal	Three-Star	Yes
Glaceon (Undersea Holiday)	Three-Star	Yes
Stantler (Holiday outfit)	Three-Star	Yes
Mega Latias	Mega-Raid	Yes
Mega Latios	Mega-Raid	Yes

While all these bosses can potentially be Shiny, keep in mind the odds remain relatively low. For instance, the likelihood of encountering a Shiny in a Mega Raid is currently set at 1 in 128. Given that the Holiday Part 1 lasts for five days, players should have plenty of chances to encounter these festive bosses.

Holiday Part 1 Eggs, Bonuses & Rewards

Special 7KM Hatches

Pokémon GO Eggs in Containers for Hatching

Participation in Holiday Part 1 will yield impressive rewards, including 2x XP for catching any Pokémon and a significant reduction in hatching distances for Eggs. In addition to raid bosses and increased spawn frequencies, players can look forward to a revamped Egg pool from 7KM Eggs during this festive five-day event, featuring:

Hatchable Pokémon	Can It Be Shiny?
Amaura	Yes
Charcadet	No
Cubchoo (Holiday Ribbon)	Yes
Hisuian Growlithe	Yes
give name	Yes
Pichu (Summer flair)	Yes
Sandygast	Yes
Snover	Yes
Spheal (Holiday scarf)	Yes
Swinub*	Yes

In addition to themed Collection Challenges, PokéStop Showcases, and Field Research tasks making their debut at the start of the event, paid Timed Research priced at $2.00 (or the equivalent in local currency) will be available. Completing this Holiday Part 1 Timed Research can yield Egg Incubators, 1500 Stardust, unique Pokémon encounters, and two Premium Battle Passes. Keep December 17 in mind as the kick-off date for this delightful event, where these bonuses await active participants in the Pokémon GO Holiday Part 1 celebration.

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