The Holiday Part 1 event is Pokémon GO at its most strategic, blending limited-time spawns, stacked bonuses, and research that quietly rewards players who plan their routes instead of winging it. This is the phase where Niantic front-loads value, meaning early participation directly translates into faster research clears, better shiny odds, and easier Collection Challenge completions. If you wait until the final day, RNG will not be kind.
Event Dates and Runtime
Holiday Part 1 runs from December 18 at 10:00 a.m. to December 25 at 10:00 a.m. local time, locking all of its research, bonuses, and Collection Challenges behind a strict one-week window. Everything tied to this phase expires the moment Part 2 begins, including Timed Research pages and any unfinished collection progress. If you care about 100 percent completion, this is not an event you can casually backload into the weekend.
Event Bonuses You Should Exploit Immediately
The headline bonus is increased XP from catches, which makes fast-catch loops and spawn-dense areas absurdly efficient if you chain Excellent Throws. Gift-focused bonuses also return, with PokéStops guaranteeing gifts and increased item drops, making daily gift cycles essential for research steps tied to sending or opening gifts. Egg-focused players also benefit from reduced hatch distance on a limited number of eggs, so timing incubator usage early in the event maximizes value.
Featured Pokémon and Spawn Rotation
Holiday Part 1 leans heavily into Ice-types and festive costumed Pokémon, with winter staples like Swinub, Snorunt, Spheal, Bergmite, Vanillite, and Cryogonal appearing more frequently in the wild. Delibird returns as a core event spawn, and its shiny remains one of the most hunted seasonal variants due to its limited availability. Expect several of these Pokémon to be hard-gated behind Collection Challenges, so catching first and sorting IVs later is the optimal play.
Costume Pokémon and Shiny Priorities
Costumed Pikachu headlines the event once again, appearing in the wild and via select research tasks, with a boosted shiny rate that makes it worth tapping every single one you see. Delibird also benefits from elevated shiny odds, and both Pokémon are frequent requirements in Holiday-themed research steps. If your goal is efficiency, prioritize these encounters early, because missing even one can stall an entire Collection Challenge page.
Everything in Holiday Part 1 is designed to reward proactive play, from logging in daily to clearing research the moment it unlocks. The sooner you engage with the event’s structure, the less time you’ll spend fighting spawn RNG when the clock is about to hit zero.
How Holiday Part 1 Research Works: Timed Research vs Field Research Explained
Holiday Part 1 doesn’t just test your catching efficiency, it tests how well you understand Pokémon GO’s research systems. Timed Research and Field Research look similar on the surface, but they behave very differently under event pressure. Knowing which one is on a hard clock and which one you can bank is the difference between a clean sweep and a last-minute scramble.
Timed Research: The Non-Negotiable Clock
Timed Research is the backbone of Holiday Part 1 progression, and it’s completely unforgiving. Once the event ends, any unclaimed rewards vanish, even if you were one excellent throw away from finishing the page. This is why logging in early matters, because many steps require multi-day actions like sending gifts or making repeated catches.
Expect Timed Research to lean heavily on event spawns, costume Pokémon, and Ice-types. Tasks often chain together, meaning one missed spawn can stall an entire page. The smart play is to clear each step as soon as it unlocks instead of hoarding progress for later, especially when RNG-gated Pokémon like Delibird are involved.
Field Research: Bankable, But Still Event-Locked
Field Research during Holiday Part 1 is far more flexible, but it’s not entirely stress-free. Once you spin a PokéStop and receive an event task, you can hold it indefinitely and complete it after the event ends. However, you cannot pick up new Holiday-themed Field Research once the event window closes.
These tasks are your most reliable source of targeted encounters, including costume Pikachu and other Collection Challenge staples. If you’re hunting shinies or missing a specific Pokémon, stockpiling completed Field Research encounters before the event ends gives you a safety net against bad spawn RNG.
How Research Ties Directly Into Collection Challenges
Collection Challenges are the glue that binds Timed and Field Research together. Many required Pokémon appear across all three systems: wild spawns, research encounters, and sometimes eggs. Missing one source can force you into over-farming another, which is where players lose time.
The optimal approach is to treat Collection Challenges as a checklist you reference constantly. If a Pokémon can be obtained from Field Research, prioritize locking that encounter in early so you’re not at the mercy of spawn rotations later. This also prevents bottlenecks when multiple research steps demand the same species.
Optimization Tips to Avoid End-of-Event Panic
Always identify which tasks are time-gated by real-world actions like gifts or daily catches and complete those first. Use Field Research as controlled insurance, especially for costume Pokémon that don’t spawn frequently in your area. If your storage allows it, keep at least one open research encounter for each critical Pokémon until your Collection Challenges are finished.
Holiday Part 1 rewards players who think like grinders, not wanderers. Treat research as a resource management system, not a side activity, and you’ll clear everything with days to spare instead of minutes on the clock.
Complete Breakdown of Holiday Part 1 Timed Research Tasks and Rewards
With the optimization mindset established, it’s time to zoom in on the backbone of the event. Holiday Part 1 Timed Research is straightforward on paper, but inefficient execution can still burn hours if you don’t respect how its steps overlap with Collection Challenges and Field Research.
This research is fully time-limited, meaning every task must be completed before the event ends or the rewards vanish. There’s no banking progress here, so smart routing and early completion matter more than raw playtime.
Holiday Part 1 Timed Research – Step 1
The opening step is designed to pull players into core event actions immediately. Tasks typically include catching a small number of Pokémon, powering up a Pokémon, and sending Gifts to friends.
These can all be completed passively while checking spawns, but the key is sequencing. Send Gifts first, since they’re capped daily and can hard-gate progress if ignored. Power-ups should be done on low-cost Pokémon to avoid unnecessary Stardust drain.
Rewards usually include a holiday-themed Pokémon encounter, standard items like Poké Balls, and a chunk of Stardust. Don’t rush the encounter if it’s a Collection Challenge target; you can leave it stacked until needed.
Holiday Part 1 Timed Research – Step 2
Step two leans harder into event engagement. Expect tasks like catching event Pokémon, transferring Pokémon, or making Nice or better throws.
This is where spawn awareness matters. If a task asks for specific Pokémon types tied to Holiday spawns, prioritize areas with boosted event density rather than grinding random clusters. Using Incense during this step often completes multiple objectives simultaneously.
Rewards escalate here, commonly offering Great Balls, XP, and another event encounter. If the encounter features a costume Pokémon, this is a high-value checkpoint for Collection Challenge progress.
Holiday Part 1 Timed Research – Step 3
The final step usually introduces light social or exploration friction. Tasks often include spinning PokéStops, sending additional Gifts, or catching Pokémon over multiple encounters.
This is where players who ignored earlier optimization feel the pressure. If Gifts are required again, you’ll want to already have recipients available to avoid hitting daily limits. Urban or stop-dense routes dramatically reduce time spent here.
The final rewards are typically the most valuable: a premium item like a Lucky Egg or Incense, bonus XP or Stardust, and a guaranteed event Pokémon encounter. Treat this encounter strategically if it overlaps with unfinished Collection Challenges.
How to Clear Timed Research Without Wasting Event Hours
The biggest mistake players make is treating Timed Research as something to “finish later.” Every task overlaps with something else you’re already doing, so the goal is parallel completion, not sequential grinding.
Always check upcoming steps before claiming rewards so you don’t accidentally lock yourself out with daily caps. Stack encounters whenever possible, especially if they’re costume Pokémon with low wild spawn rates. When executed cleanly, Holiday Part 1 Timed Research should take a single focused session, not multiple days of scattered play.
Holiday Part 1 Field Research Tasks: Task Pool, Encounters, and Item Rewards
Once Timed Research is rolling, Field Research becomes the real backbone of efficient event progression. These tasks refresh daily, stack in your journal, and quietly control how fast you complete Collection Challenges without relying on raw spawn RNG.
Holiday Part 1 Field Research is designed to reward consistent movement and smart stop routing. If you’re spinning casually, you’ll still progress, but grinders who curate tasks will finish everything days earlier.
Holiday Part 1 Field Research Task Pool Overview
The Holiday Part 1 task pool focuses on simple, repeatable actions tied directly to event spawns. Expect tasks like Catch 5 Pokémon, Catch 5 Ice-type Pokémon, Make 5 Nice Throws, or Spin 3 PokéStops.
Some tasks are type-locked to Ice or Flying Pokémon, which is where event spawn knowledge pays off. Holiday events heavily boost seasonal Ice-types, so these tasks are effectively free if you’re playing in active spawn zones or using Incense.
A smaller subset of tasks may ask you to Transfer Pokémon or Power Up Pokémon a few times. These are low-effort fillers that are best completed passively while clearing storage or optimizing IVs between catches.
Event Pokémon Encounters From Field Research
The real value of Holiday Part 1 Field Research lies in its encounter rewards. Completing the right tasks can reward event-costumed Pokémon, which often have lower wild spawn rates despite being required for Collection Challenges.
Common encounter rewards usually include core Holiday spawns like Swinub, Snover, or Spheal. Costume Pokémon, when available through Field Research, should be prioritized immediately since they offer guaranteed progress without relying on weather or biome RNG.
If you’re stuck missing a single Collection Challenge entry, cycling PokéStops until you pull the correct task is often faster than hoping for a wild spawn. Stack these encounters if possible, especially if you’re approaching daily catch bonuses or XP boosts.
Item Rewards and Why They Matter More Than You Think
Not every Field Research task gives an encounter, but the item rewards are deceptively valuable during Holiday Part 1. Frequent rewards include Great Balls, Ultra Balls, Pinap Berries, Stardust, and occasional Silver Pinap Berries.
Ball rewards are especially important during events with high-costume Pokémon density. Costume Pokémon tend to have standard catch rates but burn through supplies quickly if you’re catching everything for XP and candy.
Berry rewards synergize perfectly with Collection Challenges. Using Pinaps on required Pokémon reduces the number of total catches needed later, saving time and inventory stress as the event progresses.
How to Optimize Field Research During Holiday Part 1
The biggest optimization mistake is completing every task blindly. If a task doesn’t reward an encounter or a premium item, consider discarding it to hunt for better ones, especially if you’re missing Collection Challenge entries.
Plan short loops around PokéStop-dense areas to reroll tasks quickly. Incense and Lures amplify this strategy by letting you complete catch-based tasks without breaking your route.
Finally, always check your Collection Challenges before turning in encounter rewards. Claiming the right Pokémon at the right moment can finish multiple objectives instantly, turning Field Research into the fastest progression tool of the entire Holiday Part 1 event.
All Holiday Part 1 Collection Challenges: Requirements, Spawns, and Completion Tips
Once you’ve optimized your Field Research flow, Collection Challenges become the real progress check for Holiday Part 1. These challenges are deceptively simple on paper, but they’re tuned around spawn rotations, costume availability, and a little bit of RNG pressure.
Holiday Part 1 usually features multiple Collection Challenges running simultaneously, each focused on a different slice of the event. Completing all of them is mandatory if you want the full XP, Stardust, and medal progress before Part 2 takes over.
Holiday Part 1 Collection Challenge: Winter Spawns
The Winter Spawns challenge focuses on core Ice-type and snow-themed Pokémon boosted throughout the event. Typical requirements include catching Pokémon like Swinub, Snover, Spheal, Bergmite, and occasionally Cubchoo or Cryogonal depending on regional availability.
These Pokémon are heavily boosted in the wild, especially in Snowy or Rainy weather. Incense dramatically increases consistency here, making this one of the easiest challenges to clear passively while walking.
If Cryogonal is part of your list, prioritize Field Research encounters immediately. Wild Cryogonal spawns are uncommon outside of weather boosts, and waiting on RNG is the fastest way to stall your progress.
Holiday Part 1 Collection Challenge: Costume Pokémon
This is the challenge that trips up the most players. Costume Collection Challenges usually require catching specific event-costumed Pokémon such as Holiday Pikachu, Holiday Delibird, or Stantler wearing bells.
The key detail is that evolution does not count. You must catch the exact costumed Pokémon listed, which makes Field Research and raids significantly more valuable than wild hunting alone.
If a costumed Pokémon is available through Field Research, that task becomes a top-tier priority. PokéStop cycling is far more efficient than relying on spawn RNG, especially if the costume has a diluted wild appearance rate.
Holiday Part 1 Collection Challenge: Ice and Holiday Specials
Some Holiday Part 1 events include a hybrid challenge that mixes standard Ice-types with seasonal rarities. This often includes Pokémon like Delibird, Vanillite, or Alolan Vulpix, depending on the year’s rotation.
Delibird in particular can be frustrating due to its lower spawn frequency. Lures placed in PokéStop-dense areas significantly increase your odds, especially when layered with Incense.
If Alolan forms are required, check the challenge text carefully. Alolan Vulpix and Alolan Sandshrew usually come from Field Research or raids, not standard wild spawns, and missing that distinction can waste hours.
Completion Rewards and Why Timing Matters
Each Collection Challenge typically rewards a large chunk of XP, Stardust, and a themed Pokémon encounter. These encounters often have boosted IV floors, making them worth stacking until you can catch them during XP or Stardust bonuses.
Don’t instantly claim rewards if you’re grinding efficiently. Holding completed challenges until you pop a Lucky Egg or Star Piece can multiply their value and push you toward level milestones faster than raw catching alone.
Completing all Collection Challenges also advances the Collection Challenge medal, which is one of the most time-gated medals in Pokémon GO. Missed challenges are gone forever, making Holiday Part 1 especially unforgiving.
Pro-Level Tips to Finish Every Collection Challenge Early
Always cross-check your Collection Challenges before claiming Field Research encounters. Accidentally catching a required Pokémon outside the challenge window is a silent efficiency killer.
Focus on rare or gated Pokémon first. Common wild spawns will complete themselves naturally, but costumed Pokémon, Alolan forms, and research-exclusive encounters should dictate your route planning.
Finally, don’t underestimate Incense while moving. Holiday Part 1 Incense pools are tightly aligned with Collection Challenge requirements, turning every walk into guaranteed progress instead of a dice roll.
Spawn Rotation & Habitat Tips: Where to Find Every Required Pokémon Fast
With your challenge priorities locked in, the next step is understanding how Holiday Part 1 manipulates spawn tables. Niantic heavily weights biome-adjacent Ice-types while quietly rotating in event-exclusive spawns that only appear under specific conditions. Knowing where to play is just as important as when, especially if you’re trying to clear every Collection Challenge without leaning on pure RNG.
Urban vs. Suburban Spawns: Play the Map, Not Just the Clock
Dense urban areas are king during Holiday Part 1. PokéStop clusters amplify event spawns, which dramatically increases sightings of Pokémon like Pikachu in holiday costume, Vanillite, and Snover. If you’re stuck in a low-density area, Incense becomes mandatory rather than optional.
Suburban and rural players should prioritize walking routes that overlap multiple spawn cells. Even a small loop with consistent movement triggers more Incense checks, pulling from the same Holiday Part 1 spawn pool as city centers. Standing still kills efficiency and leaves you at the mercy of diluted biome spawns.
Ice-Type Core Spawns and How to Force Them
Core Ice-types such as Snover, Spheal, Swinub, and Vanillite form the backbone of most Holiday Part 1 Collection Challenges. These Pokémon spawn everywhere during the event, but they appear far more frequently during overcast or snowy weather. If weather boosts are active, shift your play session immediately to maximize both catch rate and Stardust.
Glacial Lure Modules are a sleeper MVP here. Dropping one at a high-traffic PokéStop doesn’t just spawn Ice-types faster, it also helps knock out evolution-based requirements tied to Holiday research tasks. Stack a Glacial Lure with regular Lures for a noticeable spike in relevant encounters.
Costumed Pokémon: Where RNG Tries to Waste Your Time
Holiday-costumed Pokémon, especially Pikachu and Delibird, are the most time-gated spawns in Part 1. Pikachu appears regularly in the wild, but its spawn rate increases sharply near PokéStops and during Incense ticks. If Pikachu is still missing from your Collection Challenge, don’t roam randomly—anchor your grind around lured stops.
Delibird is more volatile. It favors Incense spawns and event-aligned Field Research, making stationary play far less effective. Walking with Incense active gives you more Delibird rolls per minute, which is critical since its spawn rate is intentionally lower to gate challenge completion.
Alolan and Gated Spawns: Read the Fine Print
Alolan Vulpix and Alolan Sandshrew almost never appear as standard wild spawns during Holiday Part 1. These are typically locked behind Field Research tasks, raids, or limited-time encounters tied to Collection Challenges. If you’re waiting for them to appear naturally, you’re burning time for no payoff.
Check every Field Research task before discarding it. Tasks tied to Ice-types or catching event Pokémon often reward Alolan forms, and cycling PokéStops quickly is faster than hoping for a lucky spawn. Raids are a fallback option, but they’re slower unless you’re already coordinating with other players.
Incense Optimization: Turn Movement Into Guaranteed Progress
Incense during Holiday Part 1 is tuned aggressively toward event requirements. While walking, Incense spawns occur frequently enough that you should expect one relevant Pokémon every few minutes if you’re moving consistently. This makes Incense the single best tool for clearing the last one or two stubborn Collection Challenge entries.
Avoid using Incense while stationary unless weather conditions are boosting spawns. Movement increases spawn density and reduces the odds of pulling irrelevant biome Pokémon. Think of Incense as a controlled loot table—you still have RNG, but you’re rolling far more often.
Time-of-Day and Spawn Refresh Cycles
Early morning and evening hours tend to produce cleaner event spawn pools, especially in residential areas. Midday spawn tables can get cluttered by non-event Pokémon, slowing progress on specific requirements. If you’re missing one or two Pokémon, adjust your play window rather than brute-forcing it.
Finally, remember that spawn points refresh on the hour. If you’re farming a specific location, do a quick sweep, move to a nearby cluster, and circle back after the refresh. This rotation keeps your encounter rate high and prevents dead zones that stall Collection Challenge progress.
Optimization Strategies: How to Finish All Research and Collections Efficiently
With spawn behavior, Incense tuning, and gated Pokémon in mind, the final step is tightening your overall execution. Holiday Part 1 is generous, but only if you play it like an event—not like a normal daily loop. These strategies are about compressing time, reducing RNG pain, and clearing every checklist item before the clock runs out.
Stack Research Tasks Before You Start Playing Seriously
Before committing Incense, Lucky Eggs, or long walks, spin PokéStops aggressively to stack Field Research. Your goal is to hold three event-relevant tasks before you start catching in bulk. This prevents wasted catches that don’t advance research progress.
If a task doesn’t clearly reference event Pokémon, Ice-types, or catching mechanics, delete it immediately. PokéStop cycling is faster than brute-forcing irrelevant tasks, especially in dense areas where new tasks refresh constantly. Treat research like a loadout—you want synergy before engagement.
Prioritize Collection Challenges Over Timed Research
Collection Challenges are the real fail condition of Holiday Part 1. Timed Research usually completes passively through normal play, but Collection Challenges hard-lock rewards if you miss a single Pokémon. Always check your Collection Challenge tab before deciding what to hunt next.
If one Pokémon is missing, tunnel vision is correct. Ignore XP grinding, ignore Stardust optimization, and focus exclusively on that entry. Incense, targeted Field Research, and time-of-day adjustments all matter more than raw catch volume at this stage.
Use Incense and Lures With Intent, Not Emotion
Incense should be activated only when you can walk continuously for at least 30 minutes. Popping Incense while stationary dramatically lowers its effective DPS against Collection Challenge requirements. You’re paying for spawn frequency, so maximize it.
Lures are best saved for high-density PokéStop clusters or community hotspots. One Lure in a dead zone is inefficient, but three Lures overlapping in a park can clear multiple research steps simultaneously. If you’re coordinating with others, stagger Lure usage to extend coverage rather than stacking all at once.
Exploit Catch Efficiency to Save Time
Fast catching is not optional during Holiday Part 1—it’s mandatory. Skipping catch animations lets you clear research tasks and Collection entries at nearly double speed. This is especially important for “catch X Pokémon” steps that don’t care about IVs or CP.
Don’t waste time appraising mid-event unless a research task explicitly requires it. IV hunting can wait until after completion. During the event, speed is your strongest stat.
Weather Boosts Are a Force Multiplier
If weather boosts align with Ice-type or event Pokémon, drop everything and play. Weather-boosted spawns increase both encounter frequency and catch efficiency, reducing Poké Ball consumption and failure rates. This is one of the few moments where RNG actually works in your favor.
Check in-game weather before activating Incense or Lures. Even a short boosted window can finish an entire Collection Challenge if you lean into it properly.
Raids as a Surgical Tool, Not a Grind
Raids during Holiday Part 1 should be used to plug gaps, not farm endlessly. If a Collection Challenge requires a raid-exclusive or low-spawn Pokémon, one clean raid clear is worth more than an hour of wandering. Remote Raid Passes are especially valuable here if local activity is low.
Avoid overcommitting to raids that don’t advance research or collections. DPS optimization matters, but relevance matters more. Every raid should push a checklist forward.
Daily Check-Ins Prevent Last-Day Panic
Finally, review all active Timed Research and Collection Challenges at the end of each play session. Identify what didn’t progress and plan the next day around that bottleneck. Holiday Part 1 is forgiving early and brutal at the end if you procrastinate.
Five minutes of planning saves hours of frustration. Treat the event like a limited-time dungeon run—clear objectives first, optimize routes second, and never assume tomorrow will be easier.
Event-End Checklist: What to Complete Before Holiday Part 1 Ends
As the clock winds down, this is where preparation turns into execution. Holiday Part 1 rewards players who clean up loose ends early and punishes anyone who assumes spawns or research will still be there tomorrow. Use this checklist to lock in every reward before Niantic flips the switch.
Finish All Timed Research Pages
Timed Research is the hardest cutoff in the event, and once it’s gone, it’s gone for good. Open the Today tab and confirm every page is fully cleared, not just partially progressed. Unclaimed encounters and item rewards vanish when the timer expires, even if the tasks are technically finished.
If you’re stuck on a specific requirement like sending gifts or catching a themed Pokémon, prioritize that over everything else. These steps are often time-gated by spawn pools or daily limits, not effort.
Complete Every Active Collection Challenge
Collection Challenges are deceptively dangerous because they look passive. Missing a single low-frequency spawn can invalidate the entire challenge and cost you bonus XP, Stardust, and often a themed encounter.
Scroll through each Collection Challenge and identify any Pokémon still missing. If a required Pokémon is incense-locked, lure-exclusive, or raid-only, solve that problem immediately. Waiting until the final hours invites bad RNG and empty maps.
Claim All Research Rewards Before Logging Off
Even if a research page is complete, rewards don’t auto-claim. Manually tap through every encounter, item bundle, and Stardust drop before the event ends. This is especially important for stacked encounters, which can be lost if left unclaimed.
Star Pieces and Lucky Eggs should be used strategically here. Claiming multiple Stardust or XP-heavy rewards in one burst is free value, especially if you’ve lined up research completion correctly.
Hunt Any Event-Exclusive or Costume Pokémon
Holiday events are notorious for locking costumes and special variants behind short windows. If a Pokémon is wearing a holiday outfit or has boosted shiny odds during Part 1, assume it will not return for a long time.
Catch at least one for your collection, then decide if shiny or IV grinding is worth the remaining time. Collection completion always comes first; flex hunting is optional.
Use Remaining Event Bonuses Intelligently
Before the event ends, burn through any bonuses like increased catch XP, reduced hatch distance, or extra Stardust. This is the time to clear egg slots, mass-catch clustered spawns, or chain research rewards under a Lucky Egg.
Bonuses are silent multipliers, and ignoring them is the same as leaving resources on the table. Even 15 focused minutes can outperform an hour of unfocused play after the event ends.
Prep for Holiday Part 2 Without Overcommitting
Once Holiday Part 1 objectives are complete, stop overplaying. Save Poké Balls, Berries, and Raid Passes unless they’re directly converting into event progress. Holiday Part 2 often shifts spawns and priorities, and resource starvation carries over.
Take screenshots of completed challenges if you like tracking progress, then reset mentally. Clean execution beats burnout every time.
Holiday Part 1 is all about discipline. Clear the objectives, claim the rewards, and walk away knowing you squeezed maximum value out of the event. In Pokémon GO, the best players aren’t the ones who play nonstop—they’re the ones who know exactly when the grind is finished.