Twelve months. Three hundred and sixty-five days.
I will be honest: When I set this out as my new year’s resolution for 2025, I did not think I would actually complete it. I traveled the world, covered industry events, got sick, did a lot of things…and yet, somehow, made the time to play Animal Crossing: New Horizons each day, somehow.
It has been definitely difficult to do, and I’ve learned a lot about writing a weekly column and needing to make it happen along with everything else going on.
With the new patch just around the corner, I think I am going to do another year of this column. I want to see what is next for my little island, after all.
If you missed last week’s Tom Nook’s Snapshots, then you can check it out here.
December 24
Today is Toy Day! And to help Renassia celebrate, Santa’s helper Jingle has come to visit my Animal Crossing: New Horizons island. I first stopped by Nook’s Cranny to see what toy they had for sale today, and it was the puppy plushie! I definitely bought that. I then headed to Able Sisters, and I bought the full Santa outfit they had for sale, and I put it on for this week’s outfit.
Finally, I went over and met Jingle, the black-nosed reindeer hauling around a magic gift sack. He said he was here to help Santa deliver gifts, but he forgot the wrapping paper! Jingle asked me if I could help him, and I agreed of course. He gave me a festive wrapping paper DIY and told me he needed three pieces.
I looked at the DIY, and it said I needed one gold, blue, and red ornament to make a single sheet. I unfortunately did not have enough to make a single sheet. I walked around the northern half of my island and shook a lot of trees with lights in them until I had amassed a rich collection of ornaments and I DIY’d enough festive wrapping paper. When I turned them into Jingle, he gave me a set of Toy Day stockings! I immediately hung them up in my home.
Jingle then asked if I wanted to help deliver Toy Day presents to everyone, and I of course did. He gave me a magic bag, and I walked around and distributed gifts from it to each of my islander friends. I had a lot of fun giving gifts to everyone from Santa, and I even got some gifts in return! When I returned to Jingle, he took the magic bag back from me and gave me a Toy Day sleigh in return and thanked me for making Toy Day extra-magical.
Afterwards, I bought more wrapping paper from Nook’s Cranny, wrapped up all the toys I’ve bought in December for everyone, and did a second round of gift gifting from ME this time. I did not open them yet, as I wanted to save them for tomorrow. Yet, all of this holiday cheer made it all extra special for me.
December 25
During the morning announcements, Isabelle warned me the tree outside of Resident Services (what I’ve been affectionately calling the town hall) would be taken down soon. It is hard to believe the year is about to end, but I guess that is how things are.
I stopped by Nook’s Cranny and saw a screen for sale there that seemed fit for the museum, but it was too expensive for me to purchase. I also visited the Nook Shopping kiosk, and I bought a zodiac horse figurine! Finally, I unwrapped all of the gifts I got the day before, and they turned out to be different color variants of the toys that Nook’s Cranny had sold throughout the year. I ended up setting them up in my upstairs empty room, and so it looks a lot like a toy room now than anything else.
Finally, I caught snowflakes today! I need to do something with them.
December 26
Today, I found Gulliver washed up on my southern beach after I planted a new money tree. He needed my help, yet again, to find his missing communicator parts so he could call his shipmates to pick him up and take him home. Naturally, I helped him out and I returned them to him.
Afterwards, I decided to go deep sea diving. I first found a sea star and then an octopus! I don’t have either in my museum, and so I knew where they were ultimately going to go whenever I got a chance. I definitely felt a little silly diving with a beard on, but I am glad that it held onto my face.
December 27
Today, Nook’s Cranny sold one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen: a throwback rocket. I saw it, and I knew immediately that I had to own it. I snapped it up for 7,080 Bells and then checked out my mailbox for what all I had there to free up more space.
I stopped by the plaza to see K.K. Slider, but it turned out I was a few hours early before he started to take requests. I instead went to Blathers and donated the octopus and sea star I got the day before! I had no idea sea stars can have up to FORTY arms on them, and each of those arms can have several dozen tiny feet on them. Sea stars are crazy.
Afterwards, I harvested all of my crops, and I ended up selling them for 30,000 Bells to Timmy and Tommy. I turned around and took that money to Nook Shopping kiosk, and I bought a bunch of New Year’s merchandise with it.
Late that night, I went back into Animal Crossing: New Horizons and I asked K.K. Slider to play a secret song, Farewell, for me. I thought it was appropriate because I am saying farewell to the first year of Tom Nook’s Snapshots. Surprisingly, Snooty showed up just as K.K. Slider was about to begin! I really liked it, and I was super happy that he gave me a bootleg version to play in my home after the fact.
December 28
Due to real life happenings, I didn’t do a lot in Animal Crossing: New Horizons today — even though the end of the year is rapidly approaching.
I stopped by Nook’s Cranny and picked up a hanging guide sign that I’m not quite sure what I am going to do with. I feel like it would be more fitting for Dodo Airlines than my home.
What really caught my eye though was the double-edged sword that was just hanging around. It was being sold for 156,000 Bells. I unfortunately did not have enough cash on hand to buy it, and I did not want to dip into my home loan savings to cover it, and so I had to let it be.
December 29
Today, I found a message in a bottle that had washed up on my beach. It was from a Secret DIY pen pal Pashmina, who told me about how she got this idea while she was out gardening. Weirdly enough, she promised me it also wouldn’t explode. I don’t feel comfortable with the fact that someone has to go out of their way to tell me something might not explode, which tells me it is still a distinct possibility that it will.
This is especially confusing since it is a recipe for an apple umbrella.
Otherwise, I dug up fossils, sold them off, and I visited the Roost. To my surprise, Hugh was there drinking a coffee! He talked about how he wanted to take a nap, but Brewster’s coffee made him bouncy and how he wouldn’t drink coffee if it did not smell so good in the first place. Hugh also…expressed that he thinks Brewster is staring at him, but he cannot be sure due to the glasses. Hugh is definitely odd, but I still love him.
December 30
Today is Hugh’s birthday! Talk about saving a birthday for the very last few days of the year! I panicked and gave Hugh the throwback rocket I bought a few days ago as a gift.
Camofrog also showed up to celebrate. I feel like he is friends with everyone for some reason. He also gave some deep knowledge: he said that you feel especially close to anyone you survive some tough times with. Camofrog also admitted that parties can be a struggle sometimes for him, and he is glad that I’m with him.
I totally get that Camofrog. I really, really do.
December 31
Today is the last day of 2025, and Isabelle was crying as she gave the daily announcements.
I popped over to the plaza for the grand Countdown at midnight. I bought a hat from Tom Nook and party poppers from him, too! Isabelle gave me a light stick to use at midnight, too! Everyone showed up but Hazel at the plaza, and so I stopped by her home to see if something was wrong. It turned out to not be an issue, she just wanted to stay home apparently.
As the clock counted down towards midnight, everyone got out their light sticks…and cheered the new year in! And so, there ends Year One of Tom Nook’s Snapshots in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
How did you ring in 2026?
What was your Toy Day experience like?
Let us know in the comments below!
