Pokémon Go Winter Holiday 2023 event guide

Pokémon Go’s “Winter Holiday” event is back for 2023 and is broken up between two parts, as usual. The first part of the event runs from Dec. 18-25 and the second part runs from Dec. 25-31.

This event comes with bonus XP and Stardust from opening gifts throughout both parts. There’s also a perk of either doubled catch XP or doubled catch Stardust, depending on what you pick in a Timed Research set.

[Ed. note: Since the second part of the event takes place during a holiday, this post may not be entirely up to date with part 2 info until we return on Dec. 27.]

Below we list out all the Timed Research, alongside other perks from the Pokémon Go “Winter Holiday” 2023 event below.

Pokémon Go ‘Winter Holiday’ 2023 event Timed Research: ‘Winter Wishes’

This research lasts until the event ends on Dec. 31.

Step 1 of 2

• Catch 5 Pokémon (1 Glacial Lure Module)
• Spin 3 PokéStops or gyms (Pikachu [holiday attire] encounter)
• Power up Pokémon 5 times (2 Silver Pinap Berry)

Rewards: 500 Stardust, 500 XP

After this step, you’ll be prompted with a choice: catch Pokémon or collect Stardust. Whatever you pick has importance beyond the task set you’ll get next. If you choose to catch Pokémon, you’ll get doubled catch XP, while if you opt to go after Stardust, you’ll get doubled catch Stardust. Pick whichever you need!

Step 2 of 2

• Catch 10 Pokémon (Spheal [holiday scarf] encounter)
• Catch 25 Pokémon (Eevee [holiday hat] encounter)
• Catch 40 ice-type Pokémon (Lapras encounter)
• Catch 8 different species of ice-type Pokémon (Stantler [holiday collar] encounter)
• Earn 25,000 XP (catching) or earn 7,500 Stardust (Stardust) (Cetoddle encounter)
• Send 25 gifts to friends (Raticate encounter)

Rewards: Galarian Mr. Mime encounter, 1 Lucky Egg or Star Piece

If you picked XP, you get a Lucky Egg as a reward. If you picked Stardust, you get a Star Piece.

Pokémon Go ‘Winter Holiday’ 2023 event Timed Research: ‘Frosty Festivities’

This is a paid research, so you’ll need to buy a ticket from the shop for $4.99. You can figure out if you think it’s worth buying from the rewards below. (If you like special poses and costumed Pokémon, it’ll probably be worth it for you.) Niantic’s event page notes that you’ll also get doubled candy from catching Pokémon if you buy this ticket as well. Note that it is still timed, meaning it does expire at the end of the event.

Step 1 of 4

• Spin 10 PokéStops (Cubchoo [holiday ribbon] encounter)
• Catch 25 ice-type Pokémon (Spheal [holiday scarf] encounter)
• Make 20 curveball throws (Pikachu [holiday attire] encounter)

Rewards: Galarian Mr. Mime encounter, Winter Pose

Step 2 of 4

• Use 20 berries to help catch Pokémon (Stantler [holiday collar] encounter)
• Transfer 25 Pokémon (Delibird [holiday ribbon] encounter)
• Catch 30 ice-type Pokémon (Eevee [holiday hat] encounter)

Rewards: Lapras encounter, 3 Silver Pinap Berries

Step 3 of 4

• Make 30 curveball throws (Cubchoo [holiday ribbon] encounter)
• Send 10 gifts to friends (Spheal [holiday scarf] encounter)
• Catch 40 ice-type Pokémon (Pikachu [holiday attire] encounter)

Rewards: Glaceon (holiday attire) encounter, 1 Incense

Step 4 of 4

• Transfer 30 Pokémon (Stantler [holiday collar] encounter)
• Explore 5 km (Delibird [holiday ribbon] encounter)
• Catch 50 ice-type Pokémon (Eevee [holiday hat] encounter)

Rewards: Psyduck (holiday attire) encounter, 1 Egg Incubator

Pokémon Go ‘Winter Holiday’ 2023 event Timed Research: ‘Winter Holiday Part 1 and 2’

These are also paid research tasks that will expire at the end of the event. You get both research for $1.99, and the tasks and rewards are virtually the same, according to sources like LeekDuck and Serebii.net. You can see what both sets of research reward below:

Step 1 of 1

• Catch 10 Pokémon (Cetoddle encounter)
• Catch 20 Pokémon (Sneasel encounter)
• Catch 30 Pokémon (Galarian Darumaka encounter)
• Catch 40 Pokémon (Spheal [holiday scarf] encounter)
• Use 10 berries to help catch Pokémon (Pikachu [holiday attire] encounter)
• Use 20 berries to help catch Pokémon (Stantler [holiday collar] encounter for part 1, Delibird [holiday ribbon] encounter for part 2)
• Catch 4 different species of ice-type Pokémon (Eevee [holiday hat] encounter)
• Catch 6 different species of ice-type Pokémon (Cryogonal encounter)
• Catch 8 different species of ice-type Pokémon (Amaura encounter)
• Catch 10 different species of ice-type Pokémon (Glaceon [holiday attire] encounter)

Rewards: Psyduck (holiday attire) encounter, 2 Premium Battle Passes, 5,000 XP

Pokémon Go ‘Winter Holiday’ 2023 event Field Research

Spinning PokéStops during the event period may net you one of these event Field Research Tasks:

• Catch 5 different species of Pokémon (Delibird [holiday ribbon] or Spheal [holiday scarf] encounter)
• Catch 5 ice-type Pokémon (5 Poké Balls, 5 Pinap Berries, 5 Razz Berries, or 3 Ultra Balls)
• Catch 7 ice-type Pokémon (Shellder, Snover, or Vanillite encounter)
• Catch 10 different species of Pokémon (Jynx or Cubchoo [holiday ribbon] encounter)
• Open 5 gifts (Pikachu [holiday attire] or Alolan Sandshrew encounter)
• Send 3 gifts and add a sticker to each (Crabrawler encounter, 25 Abomasnow Mega Energy, or 25 Glalie Mega Energy)
• Win a raid (Lapras encounter or Glaceon [winter attire] encounter)

Pokémon Go ‘Winter Holiday’ 2023 event boosted spawns

These Pokémon will be spawning more frequently during the whole event:

• Pikachu (holiday attire)
• Seel
• Eevee (holiday hat)
• Sneasel
• Swinub
• Piloswine
• Galarian Darumaka
• Cryogonal
• Amaura
• Cetoddle

These Pokémon will be spawning more frequently during part 1 of the event:

• Alolan Sandshrew
• Stantler (holiday collar)
• Spheal (holiday scarf)
• Bergmite

These Pokémon will be spawning more frequently during part 2 of the event:

• Alolan Vulpix (Part 2 only)
• Psyduck (holiday attire) (Part 2 only)
• Delibird (holiday ribbon) (Part 2 only)
• Spheal (Part 2 only)
• Vanillite (Part 2 only)
• Cubchoo (holiday ribbon) (Part 2 only)

Image: Niantic

Pokémon Go ‘Winter Holiday’ 2023 event 2 km egg hatches

Eggs obtained from PokéStops during the event period has a chance of giving you one of the following:

• Eevee (holiday hat)
• Smoochum
• Galarian Darumaka
• Amaura

Starting in part 2 of the event, Psyduck (holiday attire) will also be obtainable in 2 km eggs.

Pokémon Go ‘Winter Holiday’ 2023 event raid targets

These Pokémon will be in raids during the event period:

• Pikachu (holiday attire)
• Crabrawler
• Cetoddle
• Dewgong
• Lapras
• Glaceon (holiday outfit)

These will only be in raids during part 1 of the event:

• Alolan Sandshrew
• Spheal (holiday scarf)
• Stantler (holiday collar)

These will only be in raids during part 2 of the event:

• Alolan Vulpix
• Cubchoo (holiday ribbon)
• Delibird (holiday ribbon)