Animal Crossing: January 2026 Guide

If you want to stay ahead of the grind (and avoid missing exclusive drops), here’s your complete January 2026 gameplay checklist. From farming and collecting to villager friendships, crafting, and exploration, this guide breaks down exactly what to do so you can stay efficient and cozy.

January Creatures

Click here for a full list of January’s fish, insects, and sea creatures on both the Northern and Southern hemisphere.

January Birthdays

Exclusive Furniture

• Shōgatsu (12/22 – 1/5) – Kadomatsu, Kagamimochi, New Year’s shimekazari, Otoshidama envelope, Osechi
• New Year’s Day – Celebratory arch (in past years), Yut Nori, Zodiac figurine
• Nanakusa Gayu (1/5 – 2/7) – Nanakusa Gayu
• Carnival of Venice (Varies) – Venetian carnival mask
• Big Game Celebration (1/15 – 2/15) – Football megaphone, Fiery megaphone, Starry megaphone, Glittery Cheer megaphone, Football rug
• Lunar New Year (Varies) – Lunar New Year decoration, Lucky red envelope
• Seollal (1/25 – 2/3) – Bean-tossing kit
• Groundhog Day (1/25 – 2/2) – Resetti model

Farming & Foraging

Northern Hemisphere (Winter)

What to Plant Right Now

• Nothing new grows in winter, BUT:
  • Cedar trees remain decorated until Jan 6
  • Shrubs that bloom: None bloom in winter
  • Flowers: Plant Hybrid Flowers (they still breed even in snow)

What to Harvest or Stockpile Before It Disappears

• Ornaments (last day to farm is Jan 6)
  • Shake decorated cedar trees
  • Colors: Red, Blue, Gold
• Snowflakes
  • Float around the island all January
• Large Snowflakes
  • Only from Perfect Snowboys (do this daily!)
• Winter shellfish & fish
  • Oarfish
  • Stringfish (NH)

Foraging Items That Unlock Exclusive Recipes

• Ornaments (until Jan 6) → Ornament DIY furniture
• Snowflakes → Snowflake DIYs
• Large Snowflakes → Frozen DIYs (ice furniture)

Limited Monthly Rotations

January is a big rotation month for critters:

• Bugs:
  • Very few! Main ones are Dung Beetle & Mole Cricket
• Fish leaving soon:
  • Tuna (leaves end of March)
  • Blue Marlin (leaves end of March)
  • Football Fish (leaves end of February)
• Sea Creatures:
  • Red King Crab
  • Snow Crab
  • Spider Crab (rare)

Southern Hemisphere (Summer)

What to Plant Right Now

• Summer crops:
  • Coconut trees (always productive)
• Flowers:
  • ALL flowers breed in summer
  • Great month for hybrid projects
• Shrubs in season:
  • Hibiscus (red/yellow) bloom beautifully

What to Harvest or Stockpile

• Summer Shells (bright blue)
  • Needed for the Summer Shell DIY set
  • Only available December–February
• Large supply of bugs
  • Stags, cicadas, butterflies
• Sharks
  • Hammerhead
  • Great White
  • Saw Shark

Foraging Items Unlocking Exclusive Recipes

• Summer Shells → Summer Shell DIYs
• Coral & Shells → Beach-themed DIYs
• Certain flowers → Flower wreaths/fans

Rotations

• Tons of bugs/fish rotate out next month → prep your museum donations.

Crafting & Upgrades

Northern Hemisphere Materials to Hoard in January

• Snowflakes
• Large Snowflakes
• Ornaments (until Jan 6)
• Tree branches (for snowflake wands, festive items)
• Hardwood/softwood for winter recipes

Blueprints / Recipes Tied to January

• Snowflake DIYs
  • Requires Snowflakes
• Frozen DIY set
  • Requires Large Snowflakes
• Ornament DIY set (until Jan 6)
  • Ornament Mobile
  • Festive Tree
  • Ornament Wreath
  • Illuminated Snowflakes
• New Year’s Items
  • Available through Nook Shopping “Seasonal” tab
  • Includes zodiac items & region-specific New Year food

Upgrades Easiest / Most Efficient in January

• House Storage Upgrade
  • Winter items = huge storage drain → upgrade early
• ** terraform projects**
  • Snow makes cliffs & paths more visible → easier planning

Southern Hemisphere

Materials to Hoard

• Summer Shells
• Normal crafting wood
• Stones for DIY tools
• Flowers (hybrids)

Recipes Tied to Season

• Summer Shell DIYs:
  • Shell Wreath
  • Shell Lamp
  • Water Floor
  • Underwater Wall
• Bug-themed DIYs
  • Butterfly models
  • Cicada models

Upgrades

• Bridges & inclines look amazing in summer—good month for decorating.

Villager Friendships & Seasonal Changes

Seasonal Dialogue Changes

Northern Hemisphere

• Villagers talk about:
  • Shoveling snow
  • Winter clothes
  • Hot drinks
  • Snowboys

Southern Hemisphere

• Villagers mention:
  • Summer vacation
  • Swimming
  • Bugs
  • Heat

Monthly Gift Favorites

These always land well in January:

• Winter clothing
• Scarves
• Sweaters
• Hats & earmuffs
• Snowflake/Frozen DIY items

Relationship Quests

Animal Crossing doesn’t have “quests,” but you can:

• Complete villager errands
• Gift daily
• Send letters
• Attend their birthday events (if applicable)
• Customize furniture for them

Friendship Mastery Tips

• Give wrapped gifts (gives bonus points)
• Give expensive or personalized items
• Talk every day
• Visit them when sick
• Do daily chores for them (lost items, fetch quests)

Events & Festivals

Northern Hemisphere — January Events

Jan 1 – New Year’s Day Items

• Zodiac item of the year
• Regional New Year food (Olivier Salad, Berliner, Mochi)
• Rewards: None, but items are seasonal collectors’ favorites

Jan 1–6 – Ornament Season Ends

• Last chance to gather ornaments
• Craft all ornament DIYs before they disappear

Winter (All Month)

• Snowboy Season (Dec 11–Feb 24)
  • Perfect Snowboys = Frozen DIYs + Large Snowflakes

Southern Hemisphere — January Events

Bug-Catching Heaven (Summer Peak)

• No formal events, but:
  • Tons of rare bugs
  • High-sell-value creatures
  • Great for museum progress

Seasonal Nook Shopping Items

• Fireworks-inspired items
• Summer festival items depending on region

How to Maximize January Events Efficiently

• Make 1 Snowboy daily → collect 40–50 Large Snowflakes this month
• Shake every cedar tree daily until Jan 6
• Use Mystery Islands to farm high-value winter fish
• Sell sharks (Southern Hemisphere) for big bells
• Donate critters to Blathers before selling duplicates

Money Making Tips

Northern Hemisphere

Seasonal Best Sellers

• Tuna (15,000 bells)
• Oarfish (9,000 bells)
• Football Fish (2,500 bells)
• Snowflake DIY items
• Ornament DIY furniture (early January only)

Profit Loops

• Farm snowflakes → craft winter items → sell
• Catch winter fish on Mystery Islands
• Chop wood & sell ornament items before Jan 6

Southern Hemisphere

Seasonal Best Sellers

• Sharks (15k–50k bells)
• Stag beetles
• Emperor butterfly
• Rajah Brooke’s Birdwing

Profit Loops

• Shark islands → huge bell runs
• Bug farming (trees + palm trees)
• Summer Shell DIYs are profitable if sold crafted

Cozy Goals for Aesthetic Players

Northern Hemisphere

Winter cottagecore decorations

• Frozen palace builds
• Ice skating pond terraforming
• Snowy park builds
• Cute sweater/earmuff outfits
• Aurora photo spots (January has many auroras!)
• Winter marketplace builds

Southern Hemisphere

Tropical summercore themes

• Beach resort builds
• Boardwalks
• Mermaid/underwater theme
• Summer dresses & straw hats
• Butterfly gardens
• Jungle/rainforest aesthetics

Tips for Returning Players

What Changed Since Last Update

• 3.0 Update
• Switch 2 Edition

Quick Ways to Catch Up

• Check Nook Shopping → Seasonal
• Build a Snowboy immediately
• Go to a Mystery Island and catch high-yield fish
• Shake all cedar trees before Jan 6
• Walk around your island for dropped winter crafting items

What to Ignore

• Flower breeding (slower in NH winter)
• Renovations/terraforming if you’re low on bells
• Buying clothes every day (do bulk shopping once per week)

If You Only Have 15–30 Minutes

• Build a Snowboy
• Shake trees for ornaments
• Catch one batch of critters
• Buy all Nook Seasonal items
• Take a daily winter photo for your scrapbook
• Do villager “daily talking” for friendship points