Remember when most students were discussing that Christmas Eve falls on the second day of the break? There is also an event developed by Nintendo, and it is Animal Crossing New Horizons Toy Day to celebrate that day.  If one bases the event on name only, it may be surprising that it takes place on the 24th, however the contents of Toy Day prove it should be held on that day.

If the player walks around their island, they will see a reindeer with a Santa hat, Santa outfit, a white bag over his shoulder and more than a hint of excitement in his eyes.  The reindeer presents himself with his name (Jingle) and his objective.  Jingle informs the player of his passion for helping Santa deliver presents and his dilemma of missing wrapping paper.  He offers the player a chance to help him and gives a recipe for Festive wrapping paper.  It contains a green and red spiral print and one red, blue, and gold ornament in its design.  The three ornaments are all the ingredients to craft it.  

Considering the player hasn’t been participating in the annual tradition of shaking down ornaments from trees, this is the time they must start.  

After the player brings back three units of the wrapping paper, Jingle will take them and give back a set of Toy Day stockings; consequently Jingle asks the player if they want to help deliver Toy Day presents.  He tempts the player with the reward of the receiver’s merry face as they receive the gift.  Then he continues with the player receiving a prize from him.  If the player accepts, Jingle gives the player a mini version of his magic bag and alerts the player that the magic of containing any gift will wear off at 5 am and he will leave at that time too.  

When the player gives a villager their destined gift, the villager may make a comment asking if the player is actually Jingle or Santa in disguise and then give a gift in return.  There is another gamble: the villager will give the player a gift in return.  Jingle instructs the player to click the magic bag to look inside it.  If the player does so, there will be an automated message that says who’s present is still in the bag.  

At the end of the gift-giving voyage, Jingle takes back the bag and gives the player a Toy Day sleigh.  

A few days later is the New Year’s Eve event.  As the game starts up, the player will be met with Isabel wearing a red hat with the words “Happy New Year” in bold and gold in the middle of two golden stars.  As a top she is wearing a black dress suit with a white undershirt and a red bow tie.  Isabel laments on the year ending and explains the Countdown event happening in the plaza.  

As the player heads to the plaza they will be met with Isabel (and her black shoes completing the look) and Tom Nook in the same outfit, except for the hat which is a smaller pointed hat.  Next to him is a little stand selling multiple colors of the one Isabel is wearing.  The main event is being tracked by a digital clock counting down the hours, minutes, and seconds until midnight.  This is being held up by black stand on wheels.  The clock has a purple and blue border with 28 white circular lights built into it.  There are also balloons above it similar to the balloons in the plaza.  

If the player talks to Isabel they will learn that Resident Services is closed on the 31st, due to the lack of people running it.  Next she gives the player a yellow light stick and Tom Nook gives the player a party popper.   At ten seconds or less, the seconds will take up the whole board as all of the island residents begin to shake their light sticks.  When the clock hits zero, the words Happy New Year replace the countdown.  Fireworks erupt in all colors along with a bright 2022 taking up the screen.  After that a message pops up exclaiming, “Happy New Year!  May this year hold exciting adventures for us all!”

On the Nook Pad, the player gets the achievement, Countdown Celebration, and the title keywords countdown and merrymaker.  This can be redeemed for 1,000 Nook Miles.  For a little while after this the villagers stay in the town square with their light sticks.  That’s all for the event.  However there are still things for the player to explore such as Brewster, who casually says Happy New Year after brewing a cup of coffee.