First NotN? Here's some tips and things to keep an eye on!
Check when NotN starts for you this year! (This can be found in the event calendar in the encyclopedia). Do NOT spend your gathering turns until after it begins.
Strange Chests will disintegrate into dust a while after NotN ends. For this year, that will be on Wednesday January 7, 2026, at 6:00 server time. If you don't plan on opening your chests as you get them, or if you plan on selling them, mark this date in your calendar or put a phone notification for it, or just do anything that will make you remember it a bit in advance of when the time comes.
With the valuable items that can be in Strange Chests, you really don't want to have them disintegrate on you. No, not even for the achievement (buying the dust on the AH will work for that). Especially for your first year, you really don't want to play chicken with it. (I personally also avoid putting them in my vault, as I'm very liable to forget about them if I do that)
This is THE time of the year to keep Baldwin and Sophie booked and busy! Whether with crafting things or reducing items, anything you gather from them gives a chance of a Strange Chest dropping alongside it!
Look into the double-tab familiar bonding method, especially if you're not as experienced in coli yet! If you're going to grind chests through bonding, you'll want to bond with all of your familiars, even awakened ones, since they can all drop a Strange Chest! (The method is a bit less quick on mobile, but will still help a ton)
Special NotN trade items will drop, in both the food and trinket category. Lock these items in your hoard. (You're also going to inevitably have more of some of them than others - you can trade with other players!)
Be patient! If you are actively playing during NotN, I can guarantee you you will eventually get all the different chest drops, so save your treasure and gems for buying items exclusive to those currencies instead of spending them on buying chest familiars and apparel! (NotN chest apparel and familiars also are usually very cheap on the auctionhouse, even when it's not NotN)
Please do wrist stretches, especially if you're going to be doing coli! Repetitive strain injuries are no joke, and no amount of dragon cash is worth destroying your wrists for it. There's already been some informative posts on it floating around in the tag!
I am as liable to go into a hyperfocus as any, but please make sure you stay hydrated, eat, and get decent sleep! Hours can seem to fly by, but once again your health comes before dragon cash! (In the same vein, don't skip on spending time with friends and/or family during the holidays either!)