New Year's Countdown Event Guide, Items and Activities

Three, two, one... happy new year! Celebrate the end of one year and the start of another with your faithful friends and villagers in Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH) for the Nintendo Switch!

Learn about when the New Year's Eve Countdown event begins, what items you can get from Tom Nook and Isabelle, and more by reading our guide below!

New Year's Eve Dates and Times

December 31 from 11PM

The New Year's Eve Countdown event happens on December 31. All throughout the day there will be a huge countdown timer on your plaza.

Isabelle and Tom Nook will be at the plaza from 5 AM, but the festivities will begin at 11 PM, which is when your villagers will start to gather at the plaza.

What to Do During New Year's Eve?

Talk to Tom Nook and Isabelle Buy New Year's Hats Buy Party Poppers Wait for the Countdown at the Plaza Watch the Fireworks Show Receive 500 Nook Miles the Day After

Talk to Tom Nook and Isabelle

Obtain Light Sticks from Isabelle

Obtain Party Poopers from Tom Nook

The Resident Services building will be closed on New Year's Eve. Instead, Tom Nook and Isabelle will have a countdown timer at the plaza. Talk to Isabelle to get a Light Stick, and to Tom Nook to get 5 Party Poppers.

Buy New Year's Hats

Tom Nook also sells New Year's Hats in different colors for 500 Bells. There are two types of New Year's hat that you can buy: The New Year's Hat and the New Year's Silk Hat. Note that the type of hat you obtain upon buying is random, so you will need to buy the other type of hat in the next year to collect them all!

You can only get 4 colors every year

Both the New Year's Hat and New Year's Silk Hat has 8 color variations, although only 4 color variations can be bought per year. You can acquire the other color variations and the other hat type in the following years.

Buy Party Poppers

On top of the hats, Tom Nook will offer sets of 5 Party Poppers for 500 Bells, which is the same price as Nook's Cranny.

Wait for the Countdown at the Plaza

As the countdown nears its end, Villagers will gather around the plaza to celebrate. The countdown will start beeping every second at the final minute.

Villagers will start waving their light sticks in time with the beeping in the final 10 seconds. Join in the festivities as you wave your light stick with your villagers!

Talk to your villagers after the countdown

You can talk to your villagers when they are at the plaza during the countdown to learn what they think of the upcoming year. They might also tell you their New Year's Resolutions!

You can also talk to them until the event ends to bid farewell to the previous year and welcome the new year!

Watch the Fireworks Show

The Fireworks Shows lasts from 12AM to 2AM. Take some pictures with your villagers to capture an unforgettable moment! Make sure to use your Light Stick and Party Poppers for an added flair.

Receive 500 Nook Miles the Day After

You won't be able to access the Resident Services during the Countdown. To compensate, you'll receive 500 Nook Miles the next day. Not only that, you'll also receive the 7 day log-in bonus the day after! How's that for welcoming the new year!

What Should You Spend Nook Miles on First?

New Year's Items

Here's all the items avaliable during the New Years event!

Item	How to Get
New Year's Hat	Buy from Tom Nook for 500 Bells
New Year's Silk Hat	Buy from Tom Nook for 500 Bells
Light Stick	Talk to Isabelle

Related Guides

List of Events

Events by Month
January To-Do List and Events	February To-Do List and Events
March To-Do List and Events	April To-Do List and Events
May To-Do List and Events	June To-Do List and Events
July To-Do List and Events	August To-Do List and Events
September To-Do List and Events	October To-Do List and Events
November To-Do List and Events	December To-Do List and Events

Visiting Special Characters' Events
C.J.'s Fishing Tourney Dates and Prizes	Flick's Bug-Off Dates and Prizes Guide

Time-Limited Events
Bunny Day Event Info and Rewards	How to Get Bunny Day Eggs
Nature Day Event Info and Rewards	May Day Event Info and Rewards
International Museum Day Event Info and Rewards	Wedding Season Event Info and Rewards
How to Get the Most Heart Crystals Each Day	Fireworks Shows
Halloween Event Info and Rewards	How to Get Halloween Candy
Best Way to Get Halloween Lollipop	Turkey Day Event
List of Turkey Day Dishes and Ingredients	Toy Day Event
New Year's Countdown Event	Festivale Event