What’s New This Month in Animal Crossing: New Leaf – December

Welcome, New Leaf fans. Since July, DieHard GameFAN has been compiling a list of things that you can do in each in order to make sure you have all your Nooks in a row. Since it’s a new month, we’ve got a new list! Here are some of the things you can do in December.

First, some general tips:

• Donate the first (new) bug/fish/deep-sea creature that you catch to the museum. Then you don’t have to worry about whether you’ve donated or not. Remember that donating items to the museum has definite perks. For instance, once you donate thirty bugs to the establishment, you’ll be able to purchase the silver net, which makes it easier to catch bugs. Once you’ve donated all bugs to the museum, you’ll be able to get the gold net, which makes it even easier. Similar benefits are available for fishers.
• The rarer the specimen, the harder it is to catch that specimen. If you’re hunting bugs, hold A down and barely move your circle pad in the direction you want to go to sneak. Don’t rush up on beetles and the like, or else you’ll be sure to scare them away.
• The more expensive creatures are great for stocking up on bells. Many people have been going to the island at night to fill up their boxes with beetles, returning to sell them for thousands of bells. It’s a pretty good strategy if you’re saving up for something or you have a mortgage to pay off… or if you just like sitting on oodles of bells, I suppose.

The official Animal Crossing: New Leaf website has only a few events listed for North America this month: the fishing tourney is on the 14th, Winter Solstice is on the 21st, Toy Day is on the 24th, and the countdown for the new year is going to be on the 31st. Additionally, you’ll be able to find two snowballs a day in your town. Roll them around to various sizes to make snowmen and even a snow-family to get the Ski Series, Snowman Series, and Ice Series. Don’t forget, of course, that some of your residents may have December birthdays. Go to their house on that day to celebrate with them. If you bring a present, you might just get one in return in your mailbox the next day. Also be sure to check with Pelly for any special presents that you can download via Wifi.

There’s plenty to look for in the great outdoors. On the bug catching front, you have one new bug to look for.

• The dung beetle are uncommon and will be found pushing snowballs from 5pm-8am. They sell for 800 bells.

There are no bugs that are available in December that will not be available in January.

Are you more the fishing type? Here’s what you can look forward to starting in December:

• In the ocean you’ll find oarfish all day. They’re worth 7,200 bells, have huge shadows, and are rare.
• The pond smelt is a small fish found all day in the river. They’re worth 300 bells and are common.
• You’ll be able to find the sea butterfly all day in the ocean. They’re tiny and worth 1000 bells, but are fairly uncommon.
• Squids are available again starting in December, if you missed them before their exit in mid-August. They’re medium-sized and found in the ocean. You can sell them for 400 bells.
• Finally, stringfish are available, but incredibly rare. These huge fish are worth 15,000 bells if you can manage to catch one between 4pm-9am in the river.

If you haven’t caught a pike by now, this month is the last month you can do so for a while.

Last but not least, we have diving. There are no new creatures in December, but if you haven’t caught a spiny lobster yet, you’ll need to grab one while they last.

Well, that’s all that I’ve been able to find for this month. Do you have any tips or tricks you’d like to share? Does your experience differ from what’s listed above? Did you find this helpful? Let us know in the comments, and happy Crossing!