Hikari no Matsuri (Winter Festival)

Hikari no Matsuri (Japanese: "Festival of Lights") is an event hosted and overseen by Lilly (and sometimes other staff) each year at the end of November or sometime in December. It takes the form of a mini-area that is open to the players for seven straight days; 7:00 AM, EST through Midnight, EST, Monday through Sunday, and is typically kicked off by an Opening Ceremony on the eve of opening day, while being concluded on the last day's evening with a Closing Ceremony. During the event, players are encouraged to enjoy the numerous activities that are available in the form of attraction stalls and interactive games, which range from koi-scooping to ring-tossing, to obstacle-course-running. Various shops are available that offer items not seen anywhere else, and during the aforementioned games and activities, players can earn currency known as 'Jingle Bells,' which may then be exchanged to Lilly for unique prizes at a specific stall (see 'Jingle Bell Exchange List,' below). Various internal events may also be hosted that differ from year to year, and new stalls/attractions are usually added with each new year.

Monday, December 7th, 2015 through Sunday, December 13th, 2015 is the current year's schedule. It marks the Festival's 4th consecutive year running!

Highlights from this year in particular include:

The Opening Ceremony will take place on Sunday, December 6th, at 8:00 PM,
EST.  Show up at this time to be given a couple of freebies and an hour
of Festival playtime before it officially opens at 7:00 AM, EST, on the
following morning!

A special guest that has not been seen before at the Festival of Lights,
but is quite possibly one of the most important people having to do
with its conception.  Give her your thanks if the Festival of Lights
has ever brought you joy up to this point in time, you'll be happy you
did!

The Jingle Bell Donation Event has a new team and a new way of allocating
teams to players as they enter the Festival plaza.  This should (hopefully)
alleviate the problems we had on the previous year where one team was
substantially-more productive in individual, specific members than others
on other teams, thus tipping the balance in arguable unfairness.  Also
new this year, all of the Jingle Bells that are gathered through this
event will be handed out to less-fortunate players who did not have much
or any time to partake of the Festival, giving them a shot at some of the
goodies that other players were able to shoot for.

Certain stalls will be having deals or discounts (or other effects!)
on certain days of the week.  Stay tuned to the announcements that ring
out through the plaza airspace to find out what's going on at which
stall on which time!

The Hot Potato Tournament makes its third entry to the Festival of Lights
this year, scheduled to take place on Thursday, December 10th at 8:00 PM,
EST.  Our current champion has reigned for two straight years; can anyone
dethrone him?  We'll have to wait and see!

Events, activities and attractions are subject to change from year to year, so be sure to check back here as the Festival of Lights approaches each year, in order to find out what's changed from the previous year!

Jingle Bells Exchange List (2015)

  =*20 Jingle Bells*=   100 Gold Coins
  =*50 Jingle Bells*=   Snowflake Barrettes
  =*50 Jingle Bells*=   a Heartflame Lantern
  =*70 Jingle Bells*=  a Pokeball containing the grass pokemon, Petilil
  =*70 Jingle Bells*=  a Pokeball containing the ghost pokemon, Misdreavus
  =*70 Jingle Bells*=  a Pokeball containing the ice pokemon, Snorunt
  =*75 Jingle Bells*=   a crystalline snowflake
  =*80 Jingle Bells*=   1 Restring Token (3)
  =*80 Jingle Bells*=   A Recipe Triple-Pack*
  =*80 Jingle Bells*=   an Atma Plushie
  =*85 Jingle Bells*=   a Silverwinged Candle
  =*90 Jingle Bells*=   an ivy-themed kimono
  =*90 Jingle Bells*=   a sunflower-themed yukata
  =*100 Jingle Bells*=   a ruby-accented obi
  =*115 Jingle Bells*=   a unisex flame-themed kimono
  =*120 Jingle Bells*=   a bejeweled athame
  =*150 Jingle Bells*=   a No-Fail Enchant token (5)
  =*160 Jingle Bells*=   a backpack of the lesser void
  =*170 Jingle Bells*=   an Ultrabright Lantern
  =*185 Jingle Bells*=   an ink-splattered masquerade facepiece
  =*200 Jingle Bells*=   a nine-tailed kunoichi gi
  =*200 Jingle Bells*=   a nine-tailed katabira coat
  =*380 Jingle Bells*=   a Mana Tree Lamp
  =*415 Jingle Bells*=   a Token of Freedom
  =*525 Jingle Bells*=   a Power Tab (2)
  =*525 Jingle Bells*=   a Magic Tab (2)
  =*525 Jingle Bells*=   a Speed Tab (2)
  =*640 Jingle Bells*=   a grand token of Remort (1)
  =*750 Jingle Bells*=   a Bag of Grass Seed (1)
  =*900 Jingle Bells*=   a Ten-Pack Storage Enlarger

*A number (#) after an item indicates that only that many of said item is allowed
for purchase/exchange per player!

Gift Shop Items

• [Lv Price Qty] Item
• [85 1125000 -- ] a beautiful Tail-Ribbon, tied into a large bow at the tailbone
• [82 1300000 -- ] The Galactic Ward
• [82 1300000 -- ] The Universal Defender
• [78 900000 -- ] a pearlescent angel pendant
• [70 700000 -- ] Kimono of the Aurora Borealis
• [42 40000 -- ] a ring of Scholarly Wisdom
• [42 40000 -- ] a ring of Lordly Might
• [30 20000 -- ] a golden-chained lunar anklet
• [15 5000 -- ] a silver star bracelet
• [ 5 5000 -- ] a Hikari no Matsuri Fanny Pack
• [ 1 500 -- ] a Native American Tear-Jerker party popper
• [ 1 500 -- ] a mini-mortar party popper
• [ 1 500 -- ] a lightweight balloon cannon party popper
• [ 1 800 -- ] a K.C. special party popper

Poke Mart Items

• [Lv Price Qty] Item
• [50 30000 -- ] a Dusk Stone
• [50 30000 -- ] a Sun Stone
• [50 30000 -- ] a Dawn Stone
• [40 27500 -- ] a dose of X-Defend
• [40 27500 -- ] a dose of X-Attack
• [75 75000 -- ] a Poke Mart brand Max Elixir
• [80 80000 -- ] a Poke Mart brand Full Restore
• [50 37500 -- ] a Poke Mart brand Super Potion
• [15 25000 -- ] a Poke Mart brand Potion