Winter Holiday Festivities Arrive in Pokémon Go

The highly anticipated "Winter Holiday Part 1" event has officially commenced in Pokémon Go, inviting trainers to partake in a festive season filled with unique Pokémon and abundant rewards. This special holiday celebration introduces two new Pokémon adorned in seasonal outfits, alongside a host of in-game bonuses designed to enhance the player experience. From engaging Field Research tasks to increased spawn rates and exciting raid battles, the event provides numerous opportunities for players to expand their collection and progress within the game. The Go Pass system further amplifies these benefits, offering tiered rewards that incentivize participation and strategic gameplay during this limited-time celebration.

As the holiday spirit permeates the world of Pokémon Go, players are encouraged to actively engage with the event's various components. The introduction of holiday-themed Pokémon such as Sudowoodo and Charjabug, with the latter even evolving into a festive Vikavolt, adds a charming touch to the seasonal festivities. Furthermore, the event's structured rewards, including boosted XP, Stardust, and special egg hatches, ensure that both casual and dedicated trainers have ample reasons to log in and explore. This comprehensive event design aims to provide a rich and rewarding experience, making the "Winter Holiday Part 1" a memorable occasion for all Pokémon Go enthusiasts.

Festive Pokémon and Enhanced Rewards

The "Winter Holiday Part 1" event in Pokémon Go is now active, running from December 18-24, 2025. This seasonal celebration brings new festive Pokémon, including holiday-attired Sudowoodo and Charjabug, with the latter capable of evolving into a costumed Vikavolt. Event bonuses are tied to progress in the Go Pass: Winter Holiday 2025, offering doubled XP for sending gifts, extra items from gifts, and 50% more XP from raid battles. Premium pass holders receive additional benefits like doubled Stardust from gifts, reduced egg hatch distance, and doubled XP from catching Pokémon, making it an ideal time for trainers to boost their progress and collect exclusive holiday-themed creatures.

During the "Winter Holiday Part 1" event, players can encounter two brand-new Pokémon sporting festive attire: Sudowoodo and Charjabug. The holiday-themed Charjabug even has the unique ability to evolve into a similarly costumed Vikavolt, adding a special touch to the collection aspect of the event. The event's rewards are significantly enhanced through the Go Pass: Winter Holiday 2025. As trainers advance through the pass, they unlock various bonuses, such as a significant increase in XP gained from sending gifts to friends, additional items received from these gifts, and a substantial 50% boost to XP earned from raid battles. For those who opt for the premium version of the Go Pass, even more lucrative benefits await, including a doubling of Stardust from gifts, a halving of the distance required to hatch eggs, and a doubling of XP received from catching any Pokémon. These multifaceted bonuses are strategically designed to encourage active participation, allowing players to accelerate their in-game progress and enjoy a more rewarding gameplay experience throughout the holiday period.

Special Encounters and Seasonal Activities

The event also features unique Field Research tasks, which, when completed, yield valuable rewards like Stardust or encounters with special Pokémon such as festive hat Pikachu, holiday attire Spheal, or Delibird. Boosted spawn rates mean players will frequently encounter holiday-themed Sudowoodo, Swinub, Snorunt, Spheal, and Charjabug, along with increased sightings of Alolan Vulpix, Delibird, Snover, and Galarian Darumaka. For those looking to hatch special Pokémon, 7 km eggs obtained during the event offer a chance to get Pichu (festive hat), Smoochum, Cubchoo (holiday ribbon), Cryogonal, and Snom, with increased shiny rates for Pichu and Cubchoo. Additionally, three-star raids will feature holiday-attired Sudowoodo, Hisuian Avalugg, and holiday-attired Charjabug, providing challenging opportunities for trainers.

A core component of the "Winter Holiday Part 1" event is the introduction of exclusive Field Research tasks. By spinning PokéStops, trainers can obtain these tasks, which reward them with either a generous 1,500 Stardust for catching 10 Pokémon, or an encounter with a special Pikachu wearing a festive hat or holiday attire for catching 15 Pokémon. Sending gifts to friends also brings rewards: sending 15 gifts guarantees an encounter with a holiday-attired Spheal, while sending 5 gifts leads to a Delibird encounter. Beyond research, the event boasts significantly boosted spawn rates for several Pokémon, including the new holiday-attired Sudowoodo and Charjabug, as well as Swinub, Snorunt, and Spheal. Trainers might also notice more frequent appearances of Alolan Vulpix, Delibird, Snover, and Galarian Darumaka in the wild. Egg enthusiasts will be pleased to know that 7 km eggs acquired during the event period have a chance to hatch specific Pokémon like Pichu (wearing a festive hat), Smoochum, Cubchoo (with a holiday ribbon), Cryogonal, and Snom, with an elevated probability of hatching shiny versions of Pichu and Cubchoo. For those who prefer battle, three-star raids will prominently feature holiday-attired Sudowoodo, Hisuian Avalugg, and holiday-attired Charjabug, offering exciting combat challenges and opportunities to capture these unique Pokémon.