Happy New Year! Let's break down the new events, seasonal items, DIYs, bugs, fish, sea creatures, and changes going to our Animal Crossing New Horizons in the first month of 2023!

Animal Crossing New Horizons January Update 2023 (Events, Items, DIY Recipes, Critters)

The bell of the new year has sounded, and we have come to January 2023. If you want to add a New Year's vibe to your island, then January is definitely a good time to do so. Start the year off right with new seasonal items, DIYs, and critters, and also set up some festive buildings on your island to celebrate! 

ACNH January Events & Seasonal Items 2023

As the new year begins, let's celebrate new beginnings and wish good fortune for the year. If you are keen on the items and delicacies of the New Year series, then these new year-related events and seasonal items traditionally handed out for good health and good fortune are not to be missed on Animal Crossing New Horizons:

New Year's Day

Date: December 26th, 2022 - January 5th, 2023 (Both Hemisphere)

Items To Get: 2023 Celebratory Arch, Olivier Salad, Zodiac Rabbit Figurine

In honor of the new year’s starting, an event especially set up for New Year's Day with the exclusive new year themed items available on Nook Shopping. You can easy to buy these items with bells if you want.

Shōgatsu (New Year’s Day)

Date: January 1st, 2023 - January 5th, 2023 (Both Hemisphere)

Items To Get: Kagamimochi, Kadomatsu, New Year's Shimekazari, toshidama Envelope, Osechi

The Japanese New Year is called Shōgatsu and, unlike the Western New Year, is celebrated starting on January 1. This custom began in 1873 and takes the Gregorian calendar as its reference. Like any self-respecting celebration, Shōgatsu has its own characteristic decorations. The best known are two: Kadomatsu, a floral ornament that is placed at the entrance of homes to welcome benevolent spirits, and New Year's Shimekazari, a decoration hung on the doors of homes with the dual purpose of warding off malevolent spirits and welcoming benevolent ones. Added to these two are the Kagamimochi, which symbolize the arrival of the new year and family harmony. You are able to buy these new year items in Nook Shopping from January 1st to January 5th. 

Jinjitsu 

Date: Junuary 5th, 2023 - Junuary 7th, 2023 (Both Hemisphere)

Items To Get: Nanakusa Gayu

To celebrate one of the 5 seasonal festivals in Japan - Jinjitsu after the Shōgatsu holiday, the custom traditional food Nanakusa Gayu was introduced in the 2.0 update, which will be available on Nook Shopping for a short limited time if you want to put this miscellaneous furniture item in your house, don’t miss this!

C.J.'s Fishing Tourney

Date: January 8th, 2023 (Both Hemisphere)

Items To Get: Fish Trophies, Anchor Statue, Fish Doorplate, Fish-Drying Rack, Fish Print, Fishing-Rod Stand, Fresh Cooler, Marine Pop Wall, Fish Rug, Fish Wand, Fish-Print Tee, Fish Pochette, Tackle Bag, Fish Umbrella

Flick's Bug-Off

Date: January 16th, 2023 (Southern Hemisphere)

Items To Get: Bug Trophies, Bug Wand, Toy Cockroach, Toy Centipede, Termite Mound, Artisanal Bug Cage, Spider Web, Butterfly Backpack, Bug Cage, Bug Aloha Shirt, Ladybug Umbrella, Spider Doorplate, Butterflies Wall, Ladybug Rug

Big Game Celebration

Date: January 15th, 2023 - February 15th, 2023 (Both Hemisphere)

Items To Get: Cheer Megaphones, Football Rug

In early February, America celebrates the night of the big game, as Super Bowl night, the final game of the American football championship is often called. During this day it is customary to gather to watch the final game also known as the "Big Game." In honor of this event, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has made two new items available during the months of January and February: Cheer Megaphones and Football Rug. Obtaining them is very simple: they will be available for purchase from the list within the "Seasonal Items" category of the Nook Catalog, by going to the Nook Stop at the Service Center or from the app for our Nook Phone.

Lunar New Year

Date: January 20th, 2023 - February 27th, 2023 (Both Hemisphere)

Items To Get: Lunar New Year Decoration, Lucky Red Envelope

The Chinese New Year corresponds to the Lunar New Year and is one of the most important holidays for China and other eastern nations. Lunar New Year celebrations last for weeks and usually take place with the family. Some traditions of this holiday are to adorn the house with handmade decorations with red cloth and to give a red envelope with coins inside whose number must always be even, usually it is the number eight which is considered auspicious in China.

Also in Animal Crossing: New Horizons we can take part in the vast Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations thanks to two new and symbolic items available in February: Lunar New Year Decoration, and Lucky Red Envelope. 

Seollal

Date: January 20th, 2023 - February 27th, 2023 (Both Hemisphere)

Items To Get: Bokjumeoni Lucky Pouch

Seollal is celebrated in Korea on the first day of the lunar year. The celebrations take place by dressing in the typical colored hanbok and eating traditional dishes. Another Seollal custom is to give a good luck bag to start the year well and fill it with coins which are usually eight, a number considered auspicious in Korea. Also in Animal Crossing: New Horizons we will be able to wish a happy new year to our friends by interacting with the Bokjumeoni Lucky Pouch while having it in our inventory. However, we will only be able to obtain this item in February.

Groundhog Day 

Date: January 25th, 2023 - February 2rd, 2023 (Both Hemisphere)

Items To Get: Resetti Model

Groundhog Day is celebrated in Canada and the United States on February 2. This day is always spent in a special way and is significant for many Americans. On Groundhog Day, one has to watch the shelter of one of these little animals and it is thought that based on its behavior, it can vary the length of winter. In honor of this holiday, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has introduced a new seasonal item: the Resetti Model, which depicts the famous Mr. Sonny Resetti!

Setsubun

Date: January 25th, 2023 - February 3th, 2023 (Both Hemisphere)

Items To Get: Bean-Tossing Kit

Animal Crossing: New Horizons takes us to celebrate Setsubun, the bean-throwing festival held in Japan on the day before the change of a season. The term Setsubun literally means "the change of seasons," but it refers mainly to the spring one celebrated every year on February 3. Spring Setsubun is often associated with the Lunar New Year, on this occasion, Mamemaki, or the bean-throwing ritual used to drive away evil spirits from the past year, is used. The ritual involves having the father of the family dress up in a demon mask and then throwing beans at him while exclaiming. Finally, the children collect the beans and eat one for each year of their age. During the activation period of the event, we will be able to purchase the Set with Throwing Beans set in honor of this holiday.

ACNH January DIY Recipes & Furniture To Craft 2023

The northern hemisphere islands are still covered in snow in January, so we're still working on winter-related materials and DIY recipes. And in the southern hemisphere, summer is in full swing, so don't forget to head to the beach to pick up Summer Shells to craft items from the Ocean series.

Snowflake DIY Recipes & Snowflake Set Items

Collect some snowflakes and craft snowflake-themed furniture for your home to embrace the wintry festive mood: 

Date: December 11th, 2022 to February 24th, 2023 (Northern Hemisphere)

Materials To Collect: 58x Snowflake

Items To Craft:

• Snowflake Wreath

• Snowflake Wall

• Snowflake Pochette

• Ski-Slope Wall

• Ski-Slope Flooring

• Iceberg Wall

• Iceberg Flooring

Snowflake DIY Recipes & Ice (Frozen) Series Furniture Item

Collect some large snowflakes and snowflakes to craft ice-themed furniture and build up a ice wonderland on your island:

Date: December 11th, 2022 to February 24th, 2023 (Northern Hemisphere)

Materials To Collect: 100x Snowflake, 15x Large Snowflake, 3x Star Fragment, 2x Tree Branch

Items To Craft:

• Frozen Arch

• Frozen Bed

• Frozen Chair

• Frozen Counter

• Frozen Fence

• Frozen Floor Tiles

• Frozen Mini Snowperson

• Frozen Partition

• Frozen Pillar

• Frozen Sculpture

• Frozen Table

• Frozen Tree

• Frozen-Treat Set

• Ice Flooring

• Ice Wall

• Ice Wand

• Snowperson Head

• Three-Tiered Snowperson

Ornament DIY Recipes & Festive Series Furniture

Collect colorful Ornaments from pine trees to craft Christmas-themed items and spread the festive spirit throughout your island:

Date: December 15th, 2022 to January 6th, 2023 (Northern Hemisphere)

Materials To Collect: 48x Gold Ornament, 50x Blue Ornament, 47x Red Ornament

Items To Craft:

• Ornament Wreath

• Tabletop Festive Tree

• Ornament Mobile

• Jingle Wall

• Illuminated Tree

• Illuminated Snowflakes

• Illuminated Reindeer

• Illuminated Present

• Holiday Candle

• Festive Tree

• Festive Top Set

• Big Festive Tree

• Festive Rug

• Falling-Snow Wall

• Festive Wrapping Paper

• Gift Pile

• Ornament Tree

• Ornament Table Lamp

• Ornament Garland

• Ornament Crown

• Giant Ornament

Summer Shells DIY Recipes & Summer Limited Furniture

The seaside in summer hides those codes that allow you to enjoy the seaside resort style all year round, go to gather the summer shells and craft the Ocean themed items.

Date: December 1st, 2022 to February 28th, 2023 (South Hemisphere)

Materials To Collect: 30x Summer Shells, 9x Cora, 3x Giant Clam, 3x Star Fragment, 1x Sand Snail, 1x Sand Dollar, 1x Cowrie, 1x Sandy-Beach Flooring

Items To Craft:

• South Seas Wall

• Water Floor

• Underwater Flooring

• Shell Wand

• Shell Pochette

• Starry Sand Floor

• Shell Wreath

• Underwater Wall

ACNH January New Critters (Bugs, Fish, Sea Creatures) 2023

In January, there aren't any new critters coming to our islands as the northern hemisphere is well into the snow-covered winter. And all the fun of catching is left to the southern hemisphere, which is in midsummer. 21 species of bugs, 5 fish, and 3 sea creatures are about to arrive on the islands in the northern hemisphere.

New ACNH Bugs in January

Northern Hemisphere 

• No

Southern Hemisphere

• Grasshopper

• Brown Cicada

• Robust Cicada

• Giant Cicada

• Evening Cicada

• Cicada Shell

• Blue Weevil Beetle

• Earth-Boring Dung Beetle

• Scarab Beetle

• Saw Stag

• Miyama Stag

• Giant Stag

• Cyclommatus Stag

• Golden Stag

• Giraffe Stag

• Horned Dynastid

• Horned Atlas

• Horned Elephant

• Horned Hercules

• Walking Stick

• Walking Leaf

New ACNH Fish in January

Northern Hemisphere 

• No

Southern Hemisphere

• Sweetfish

• Napoleonfish

• Puffer Fish

• Blue Marlin

• Ocean Sunfish

New ACNH Sea Creatures in January

Northern Hemisphere 

• No

Southern Hemisphere

• Moon Jellyfish

• Giant Isopod

• Horseshoe Crab

ACNH January Weather and Scenery Changes

It snows heavily in the northern hemisphere in January, and the entire island is covered in thick snow. Camellia Bushes start blooming with pink flowers. And in the southern hemisphere where summer is hot, Hydrangea Bushes bloom until the end of January, when Hibiscus Bushes take its place and start adding color to your island.