Pokémon GO Winter Holiday 2025 – Best Shinies, Costumed Pokémon & Event Tips
The Pokémon GO 2025 Winter Holiday Event isn't just about festive outfits. It's one of the most rewarding limited-time events of the year if you care about shiny Pokémon, exclusive costumes, XP farming, and stocking up on premium items.
This event runs in two parts, followed by a special Winter Weekend that dramatically boosts progression. If you don't plan your time, it's easy to miss the Pokémon that actually matter. This guide breaks everything down in a player-first way—what to prioritize, what's optional, and how to get the most value with limited playtime.
Event Dates at a Glance
Winter Holiday Part 1
December 18, 2025, 10:00 AM → December 24, 2025, 10:00 AM (local time)
Winter Holiday Part 2
December 24, 2025, 10:00 AM → December 29, 2025, 8:00 PM (local time)
Winter Weekend (Best Grind Window)
December 27, 10:00 AM → December 28, 2025, 8:00 PM
Winter Holiday Part 1 – Costumes, Eggs & Shiny Hunting
Costumed Pokémon You Should Care About
Holiday costumes are time-locked, and Part 1 introduces several that are unlikely to return outside winter events:
Sudowoodo (Holiday Attire) – Wild & 3★ Raids
Charjabug (Holiday Attire) – Wild & 3★ Raids
Vikavolt (Holiday Attire) – Evolve Charjabug near a Magnetic Lure using 100 Grubbin Candy
Pichu (Festive Hat) – 7 km Eggs
Cubchoo (Holiday Ribbon) – 7 km Eggs
If you're a collector, Pichu and Cubchoo are top priority due to egg exclusivity.
Shiny Odds – Where Your Time Actually Pays Off
During Part 1, 7 km Eggs are the main target:
Increased chance to hatch
Shiny Pichu (Festive Hat)
Shiny Cubchoo (Holiday Ribbon)
Player tip:
If you only incubate casually, save your incubators for Part 1. These shiny costume Pokémon are the hardest to replace later.
GO Pass Bonuses – Why This Event Levels You Faster
Progressing through GO Pass: Winter Holiday 2025 unlocks bonuses that directly speed up account growth:
Tier 1
2× XP from sending Gifts
Deluxe: 2× Stardust from opening Gifts
Tier 2
Extra items from opening Gifts
Deluxe: ½ Egg Hatch Distance
Tier 3
50% more XP from Raid Battles
Deluxe: 2× XP from catching Pokémon
This makes Part 1 excellent for XP stacking, especially when combined with Lucky Eggs.
Winter Holiday Part 2 – New Pokémon & High-Value Rewards
New Pokémon Debut: Rolycoly Line
Part 2 introduces the Rolycoly family to Pokémon GO:
Rolycoly (wild)
Carkol – evolve with 25 Candy
Coalossal – evolve with 100 Candy
This is a Pokédex-focused debut rather than a meta-defining one, but debuts always matter for completionists.
Event Spawns You'll See More Often
Galarian Darumaka
Bergmite
Cetoddle
Dedenne (Holiday Attire)
Rolycoly
Among these, holiday Dedenne stands out due to its shiny boost.
Shiny Pokémon Worth Chasing in Part 2
Shiny Stantler (Holiday Outfit)
Shiny Dedenne (Holiday Attire)
If you skipped shiny hunting in Part 1, Part 2 still offers solid value, especially for costume collectors.
Catch Bonuses – Quietly One of the Best Parts
Catching event-themed Pokémon can reward:
Fast TMs
Charged TMs
Silver Pinap Berries
Golden Razz Berries
Rare Candy
This makes Part 2 ideal for resource farming, even if you're not shiny-focused.
Winter Weekend – The Real Endgame of the Event
If you only go hard for one period, make it Winter Weekend.
Why Winter Weekend Matters
No daily cap on GO Pass points
Bonus daily GO Pass tasks
Free Timed Research
Timed Research Rewards
Increased chance of Shiny Eevee wearing a holiday hat
Bonus XP and Stardust
Timed Research must be completed and claimed before December 28, 2025, at 8:00 PM local time.
What to Prioritize (Quick Player Summary)
Part 1: 7 km Eggs for shiny costume Pokémon
Part 2: Shiny Dedenne & Stantler, item farming
Winter Weekend: GO Pass progression, XP, Stardust
Collectors: Don't skip costume evolutions like Vikavolt
Is the Pokémon GO 2025 Winter Holiday Event Worth It?
Yes—and more than most seasonal events.
Between exclusive costumes, boosted shiny odds, a new Pokémon debut, and one of the strongest XP windows of the year, this event rewards both casual players and hardcore grinders.
Play smart, focus on what matters, and you'll walk away with real progress—not just festive screenshots.
