Pokemon Go December 2020 Events: Holiday 2020 Event, Galarian Mr. Mime, And More

December brings an exciting lineup of Pokemon Go activities that every trainer should strategically plan for. The month kicks off with the groundbreaking Go Beyond update, introducing transformative changes to the mobile gaming experience.

Developer Niantic has implemented several major enhancements, including raising the maximum player level to 50 and introducing seasonal mechanics alongside the debut of Generation 6 Pokemon. Key additions like Espurr and Mega Abomasnow will feature prominently in this month’s raid rotations, offering new challenges and rewards.

Beyond these core updates, December features an extensive calendar of limited-time events designed to maximize player engagement. These include specialized Spotlight Hours with rotating bonuses, a Kalos region celebration event, an expanded two-day Community Day weekend, and multiple exclusive Pokemon encounters. Strategic planning is essential to capitalize on all available opportunities.

Common mistake: Many players fail to prioritize events based on their personal collection gaps. Advanced tip: Focus on events offering Pokemon that complete your Pokedex or provide meta-relevant battle options.

Starting December 1, Niantic introduces refreshed Field Research tasks alongside a revamped Research Breakthrough system. Achieving this milestone now presents trainers with a choice between two distinct Pokemon encounters: the classic Water-type Lapras or the fiery Unovan form of Darumaka.

Lapras represents a valuable opportunity for players seeking to bolster their Ice-type roster or collect additional Candy for power-ups. Meanwhile, Unovan Darumaka offers collectors a chance to obtain this previously region-locked Pokemon without traveling. Both encounters provide bonus experience points upon capture, making them worthwhile regardless of your selection.

Strategic consideration: Lapras possesses greater battle utility in both PvP and PvE scenarios, particularly against Dragon-type raid bosses. Darumaka, while less meta-relevant, satisfies collection completeness for dedicated trainers. Time investment: Completing seven days of Field Research typically requires 4-6 hours of gameplay depending on task selection efficiency.

Common error: Players often complete their final task before the monthly changeover, wasting potential progress toward the next month’s breakthrough. Pro tip: Time your seventh stamp redemption to occur after 1 PM PST on December 1 to ensure you receive the new encounter pool.

December’s raid scene showcases two formidable opponents: the legendary Dragon/Ice-type Kyurem and the newly introduced Mega Abomasnow. Both present unique challenges requiring specific counter strategies and team compositions.

Kyurem, known as the Boundary Pokemon, appears as a five-star raid boss with potent Dragon and Ice-type moves. Optimal counters include strong Fairy-types like Togekiss and Gardevoir, Fighting-types such as Machamp and Conkeldurr, and other Dragon-types like Dragonite and Salamence. Weather boost from windy or snowy conditions can significantly impact battle difficulty.

Mega Abomasnow debuts in Mega Raids, offering trainers their first opportunity to obtain Mega Energy for this Grass/Ice-type Pokemon. Effective counters include Fire-types like Charizard and Moltres, Fighting-types including Lucario, and Steel-types such as Metagross. Successfully defeating Mega Abomasnow provides valuable Mega Energy for future transformations.

Advanced tactic: Coordinate with local raid groups to maximize Premier Balls and capture chances. Preparation tip: Pre-build battle teams to avoid wasting raid timer on team selection. Estimated battle time: 4-6 minutes with optimal counters and 4-5 trainers.

December’s Spotlight Hours feature a diverse rotation of Pokemon alongside valuable bonuses that trainers can strategically leverage. Each Tuesday from 6-7 PM local time presents focused opportunities for specific resource accumulation.

The December 1 Seel spotlight combined with double evolution XP creates an ideal scenario for mass evolution sessions. Prepare multiple Seel evolutions in advance to maximize experience gains during the limited window.

Swinub on December 8 offers Stardust farming potential, particularly when combined with Star Pieces. Explorer Pikachu on December 15 provides increased Candy acquisition, beneficial for powering up this popular electric-type.

Efficiency strategy: Use incense during each Spotlight Hour to increase spawn rates of the featured Pokemon. Common oversight: Players often forget to activate relevant bonuses like Lucky Eggs or Star Pieces before the event begins. Advanced technique: For evolution XP events, pre-evolve Pokemon to their final stage before the bonus activates to save time.

December features an expanded Community Day experience spanning both December 12 and 13, allowing trainers to encounter Pokemon featured throughout 2019 and 2020. This special weekend format provides opportunities to obtain exclusive moves and fill collection gaps.

Saturday, December 12 showcases 2019 Community Day Pokemon, while Sunday, December 13 highlights 2020 featured species. Both days feature increased spawn rates from 11 AM to 5 PM local time, with exclusive moves available through evolution during the event or up to two hours afterward.

Featured Pokemon from both years will appear in the wild and through special research tasks. This structure enables players to target specific species they may have missed during original Community Days.

Strategic preparation: Identify which exclusive moves have the greatest impact on your battle teams and prioritize those evolutions. Resource management: Stockpile Pinap Berries and Pokeballs in advance to maximize catch efficiency during the six-hour windows.

Common mistake: Evolving Pokemon outside the designated time frames and missing exclusive moves. Pro tip: Use fast-catching techniques to maximize encounter rates during limited time events. Time commitment: 3-4 hours per day recommended for optimal rewards.

Shiny Celebi with Team Rocket

The Shiny Celebi event presents trainers with a special research story culminating in an encounter with this rare Mythical Pokemon. Completing the quest line provides additional rewards including Rare Candy, Stardust, and encounter opportunities with other rare species.

Galarian Mr. Mime makes its Pokemon Go debut through a paid research event available starting December 19. This Ice/Psychic-type regional variant requires specific tasks to be completed before becoming available for capture.

Event completion estimate: The Shiny Celebi research typically requires 2-3 hours of dedicated gameplay. Galarian Mr. Mime evolves into Mr. Rime using 50 Candy, providing trainers with a new evolution line to complete.

Galarian Mr. Mime

Common error: Attempting to complete special research too quickly without optimizing bonus conditions. Advanced strategy: Coordinate special research completion with other ongoing events to maximize efficiency. Both events require careful planning to complete within their availability windows.

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