Pokémon Go is celebrating the holiday season with a two-part event, new Pokémon, and a new feature that will put more emphasis on creating memories with the Gifts received from friends.
The Winter 2021 Holiday Event will run from Dec. 16 to 31 with two distinct parts that will introduce new content and focus on two specific themes. The Ice Chunk Pokémon Bergmite and its evolved form Avalugg will be making their Pokémon Go debuts, too.
To put an emphasis on Gift giving and friendship, Niantic is launching the Postcard Book on Dec. 16. This new feature will allow players to collect the Postcards attached to the Gifts they receive from friends, along with the typical item rewards.
These Postcards can be pinned in the Postcard Book, which players can then access through either their Item Bag or Trainer Profile. You can even sort Postcards by who sent them.
Among the festive Pokémon that will be appearing, several will be wearing costumes. Holiday Delibird, Holiday Stantler, Holiday Spheal, Holiday Cubchoo, Holiday Glaceon, and Pikachu in a holiday hat will all be available, along with increased encounters with “Frosty” Pokémon like Snover, Vanillite, and Cryogonol starting with Winter Holiday Part One, which will run from Dec. 16 to 23.
Alolan Sandshrew, Cloyster, Kyurem, Mega Steelix and more will be appearing in raids throughout the first part of the event.
During part one, players will also get to experience the December Community Day event on Dec. 18 and 19, which will bring together all of the Pokémon featured in Community Day events throughout 2021 appearing in the wild, while 2020 Community Day Pokémon are going to be hatching from eggs and appearing in raids.
Part two will run from Dec. 23 to 31 and is more focused on friendship, giving players more bonuses and Pokémon encounters while playing or interacting with friends.
Bergmite will appear for the first time in Pokémon Go during this portion of the event in the wild, raids, and hatching from seven-kilometer eggs. Galarian Darumaka will also be appearing, but only in raids and by hatching eggs, or if you can complete various event-exclusive Field Research tasks.
This part of the event will also see new Timed Research with two storylines themed around friendship and catching Pokémon, just like the larger event. Completing it will net you an encounter with Galarian Mr. Mime.
The featured raids during part two will be Alolan Vulpix, Galarian Darumaka, Lapras, Kyurem, Mega Abomasnow, and more. Bonuses for the event also include a boosted, 40-kilometer trade distance, more Field Research, and trainers being able to open 45 Gifts per day and hold 40 Gifts in their bag.
A special Winter Wonderland mini-event will run on Dec. 25 and 26, with more details to come shortly. Players will have access to a connected Collection Challenge from Dec. 25 to 31.
