December 2018 Community Day Recap — Pokémon GO Event Guide 2026

The December 2018 Community Day Recap event is officially live in Pokémon GO! Whether you’re a day-one veteran or a returning trainer, this comprehensive guide covers absolutely everything you need to know to make the most of this event.

The event runs from December 1, 2018 to December 2, 2018. Read on for our complete breakdown of bonuses, featured Pokémon, preparation tips, shiny chances, and strategies to maximize your rewards.

📅 December 2018 Community Day Recap — Event Details

🎯 December 2018 Community Day Recap — Complete Guide & Strategy

What is Community Day?

Community Day is one of the most anticipated monthly events in Pokémon GO. During this 3-hour window (typically 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM local time), a featured Pokémon spawns in massively increased numbers across the world. The featured Pokémon has access to an exclusive move when evolved during the event window and up to 5 hours after it ends.

Community Day Bonuses

Community Days come packed with incredible bonuses:

• 3× Catch XP — Stack with Lucky Eggs for 6× XP
• 2× Catch Candy — Use Pinap Berries for even more candy
• ½ Egg Hatch Distance — Great for hatching eggs
• 3-hour Lure Modules & Incense — Extended attract duration
• 2× chance to receive Candy XL for trainers Level 31+
• Photobombs — Take snapshots for bonus encounters

Shiny Rate During Community Day

Community Day features a significantly boosted shiny rate of approximately 1 in 25 for the featured Pokémon. This means you can realistically expect to find 5-10 shiny Pokémon during the 3-hour event window if you’re actively catching. Use the Quick Catch trick to maximize your encounters per hour.

Exclusive Move Strategy

The exclusive Community Day move is only available by evolving the featured Pokémon during the event or up to 5 hours after. You can also use an Elite TM later, but these are rare and expensive. We recommend evolving your best IVs during the event window to guarantee the move. Check our Moves Database for detailed move stats.

🎒 How to Prepare for December 2018 Community Day Recap

Proper preparation can make the difference between a good event and an incredible one. Follow these tips to ensure you’re ready for everything December 2018 Community Day Recap has to offer:

✅ Expand your Item Bag to at least 1,500 items if possible. Events often include special items, new research rewards, and bonuses that fill up your bag quickly.

✅ Save your Pinap Berries and Silver Pinap Berries for the event. Doubling candy on featured Pokémon can save you hundreds of catches worth of candy for evolving and powering up.

✅ Clear out your Pokémon Storage by transferring unwanted Pokémon. You’ll need space for all the event encounters, potential hundos, and shiny Pokémon. Consider holding a mass-transfer session the day before.

✅ Prepare your raid teams in advance by checking our Best Attackers list and making sure your top counters are powered up and have the right movesets.

💰 Maximizing Your Rewards During December 2018 Community Day Recap

Every event in Pokémon GO comes with special bonuses. Smart trainers know how to stack these bonuses for maximum efficiency. Here’s how to get the most out of this event:

💡 Coordinate with your local Pokémon GO community for raid trains and special meetups. Many trainers organize events through Discord, WhatsApp, or Facebook groups.

💡 Check your Special Research and Timed Research tabs frequently. New research often drops silently during events with valuable rewards like Rare Candy, Elite TMs, and exclusive encounters.

💡 If the event features Egg pool changes, collect fresh 2km, 5km, and 7km eggs during the event period. Eggs picked up before the event will hatch the old pool.

💡 Take advantage of increased Incense and Lure Module effectiveness during the event. These items often have extended durations or attract more Pokémon during event hours.

✨ Shiny Pokémon During December 2018 Community Day Recap

Remember that shiny Pokémon from raids have a higher shiny rate (approximately 1/20 for Legendary raids). If the event features Mega Raids or Legendary raids, prioritize those.

New shiny Pokémon are frequently introduced during events. Keep your eyes open for any announcements about shiny debuts — being among the first to catch a newly released shiny is always exciting! For a complete list of all available shinies, check our Shiny Pokémon checklist.

Shiny Checking Tips: You can tell if a Pokémon is shiny from the encounter screen by looking for sparkles and a different color palette. If you see a shiny, use a Golden Razz Berry and an Ultra Ball to ensure the catch. Shiny Pokémon from raids and research have a 100% catch rate (as long as you hit them with the ball).

⚔️ PvP & GO Battle League Relevance

Events often feature Pokémon that dominate the GO Battle League meta. This is your chance to farm candy, find good PvP IV spreads (low Attack, high Defense/HP), and prepare teams for the current season.

When evaluating Pokémon for PvP during events, pay special attention to IVs. In Great League and Ultra League, the ideal PvP IVs are typically 0/15/15 or close to it — low Attack with high Defense and Stamina maximizes your stat product under the CP cap. Use our Pokédex to find specific PvP IV rankings for each Pokémon.

🏟️ Raid Guide for December 2018 Community Day Recap

Raids are a core part of most Pokémon GO events. During December 2018 Community Day Recap, expect changes to the raid boss rotation. Here’s what you need to know:

• 1-Star Raids: Great for solo trainers, often feature event-themed Pokémon
• 3-Star Raids: Soloable with strong teams, good rewards
• 5-Star Raids: Legendary Pokémon, need 3-6 trainers depending on counters
• Mega Raids: Mega-evolved Pokémon, excellent for farming Mega Energy

Remember to check the Type Chart for type advantages against raid bosses, and build your teams using the Best Attackers list for the most effective counters.

🏆 Pro Tips & Tricks for December 2018 Community Day Recap

🎯 Buddy System: Set your buddy to a Pokémon that benefits from the event. If featured Pokémon are from a specific type, a Mega-evolved Pokémon of that type will give you extra candy for every catch of that type. Check our Buddy Distance chart for walking distances.

🎯 Weather Boost Awareness: Keep an eye on in-game weather. Weather-boosted Pokémon have higher IVs (minimum 4/4/4) and give extra Stardust. If the event features a type that’s currently weather-boosted, you’ll find even better specimens.

🎯 Tag Your Best Catches: Use the in-game tagging system to mark your best catches during the event. Create tags like ‘Event Hundos’, ‘PvP IVs’, or ‘To Evolve’ to stay organized.

🎯 Trade With Friends: After the event, trade duplicate shinies and high-level catches with friends. Lucky trades guarantee at least 12/12/12 IVs, which can turn a good catch into a great one.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions About December 2018 Community Day Recap

Q: When does December 2018 Community Day Recap start and end?
A: The event starts on December 1, 2018 and ends on December 2, 2018. All times are in your local timezone.

Q: Is December 2018 Community Day Recap available worldwide?
A: Most Pokémon GO events are available globally, running in each trainer’s local timezone. Some features like regional Pokémon or in-person events may have location restrictions.

Q: Do I need a ticket for December 2018 Community Day Recap?
A: This event is free for all trainers. However, optional premium content like Timed Research or event boxes may be available for purchase.

Q: Can I get shiny Pokémon during this event?
A: Yes! Most events feature Pokémon with available shiny forms, and some events introduce new shiny releases. Check our Shiny Pokémon checklist for the full list of available shinies.

Q: What should I prioritize during the event?
A: Focus on catching featured Pokémon (especially shinies and high-IVs), completing event research tasks, taking advantage of bonus multipliers, and participating in event raids. Use Lucky Eggs and Star Pieces during bonus windows for maximum efficiency.

📚 Related Guides & Resources

This guide is updated as new information becomes available. Last updated: May 19, 2026. Data sourced from Pokémon GO Live and community research.