Hey Howdy Hey Tappers!
The snow is falling in Springfield, which can only mean Winter has arrived in our pocket-sized towns! And what better way to celebrate the Winter holidays than with presents?!!
This morning a Mystery Gift element was launched in our games, where you collect vouchers to earn returning Christmas/Holiday content. And who doesn’t love presents?
I know a bunch of you have loads of questions about the ins and outs of how it all works, so let’s break it all down…
As we always do, let’s start with the basics…
What Are My Gift Box Options?
The options are:
Silver (1,000 
)
Gold (1,400 )
Platinum (2,o00)
What Are the Prizes In Each Box?
A variety of prizes are available from Christmas Events past. So if there’s something you didn’t get, here’s your chance to get it. Some were formerly premium items, others were event prizes. Here’s a look at what’s in each box…
(if you click on the item name it’ll take you to the previous post about it)
How Do I Earn Gift Vouchers?
Gift Vouchers can be obtained two different ways. The first is by playing the Gnome in Your Home game every 4hrs. In addition to Chicken Fingers and Books, and guilt dust, the Gnome will also award Gift Vouchers. The amount of vouchers you earn from the Gnome will increase as you level the Gnome up. Here are the payouts at each level:
| Level | Reward |
| 1 | 22 |
| 2 | 24 |
| 3 | 26 |
| 4 | 28 |
| 5 | 30 |
| 6 | 32 |
| 7 | 34 |
| 8 | 36 |
| 9 | 38 |
| 10 | 40 |
| 11 | 42 |
| 12 | 44 |
| 13 | 46 |
| 14 | 48 |
| 15 | 50 |
You’ll also be able to earn Vouchers through various items purchased through the event. Certain items will award a voucher rebate… 
And you’ll get Vouchers back. Here’s the breakout of the Voucher Rebates and the items they’re offered on…
Click the links to be taken to detail posts or SIB posts if available
| Item | Rebate |
| Best Snowman Ever | 240 |
| Gingerbread Mansion | 420 |
| Murder Horn | 1500 |
| Snow Monster | 420 |
| Reindeer | 120 |
| Fancy Igloo | 120 |
| Duff Beer Tree | 60 |
| Ice God | 60 |
| Holiday Totem Pole | 60 |
| Bonestorm Santa | 270 |
| Frosty the Hitman | 270 |
| Candy Kevin | 270 |
| Kearneys Other Son | 540 |
| Duff Center Arena | 1200 |
| Giant Outdoor Fireplace | 210 |
| Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers Babysitting Service | 720 |
| Elf Home | 360 |
| Egg Nog Bar | 360 |
| Festive Trashcan Fire | 20 |
| Exotic Petting Zoo | 205 |
| Pig of Paradise Pen | 90 |
| Wooly Mammoth Pen | 90 |
| Land Octopus Pen | 105 |
| Nativity Scene | 1050 |
| Marge Snowman | 60 |
| Lisa Snowman | 60 |
| Grampa Snowman | 60 |
| Ice Sculpture Couch Gag | 100 |
| First Ever Christmas Tree | 45 |
| Dancing Reindeer | 135 |
| Xmas Trees Slightly Irregular | 180 |
| Large Iceberg | 150 |
| Medium Iceberg | 90 |
| Dunking Device | 480 |
For returning items, you’ll notice a bunch are back in the stores now. Some will be coming back in the coming days.
New items added to the store will also have rebates attached to them. We’ll let you know what they are once those items hit.
Now here’s the part that’s a kick in the pants….if you already own those items (as in you got them for free as prizes during past events, or you paid donuts for them) you get nothing, as far as vouchers back. You’d have to buy stuff over again, if you can. (you’ll notice a bunch of stuff in your store now.
Incoming rant…
This kind of ticks me off. It’s like EA is once again punishing loyal players who have played for years. Not cool EA, and I hope you make an adjustment. Even if it’s a partial voucher award for all the donut and sweat equity long time players have put into the game. You should give us some kind of voucher bank to start with, as credit for all of the items we already have. It’s just not cool. So EA please make an adjustment to this. It’s Christmas after all.
Note: Listen I’ve got a few of you telling me EA has every right to do this, they’re a company they’re supposed to make money etc. I get it. And if you’ve followed this site you know that I always defend EA when it comes to reducing the price. Or having you grind something out etc. But you’ve got to understand, in the rant above I’m not talking about grinding out the vouchers. Please understand that. I’m talking about the fact that if I wanted more of the premium items in the store with the vouchers offered, I CAN’T BUY THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE UNIQUE.
Therefore I can’t take advantage of the same offer you can. Where you can spend 150 donuts for Murderhorn AND a Platinum box item. (or something similar), long time players are at a disadvantage with this one and it’s just not how you reward loyal players in my opinion.
If this was about grinding it out, I wouldn’t say anything. Because everyone is at the same place, and those who’ve spent donuts already or who have played for years are at a slight advantage because they’ve got less stuff in their boxes.
But this case…it’s a direct kick in the crotch from EA to those who have played for a long period of time. Grinding things out for years (as most of these were prizes at one point) or spent donuts already.
Even if they offered half the amount of vouchers for the items we already own I’d appreciate that. This way it just puts those of us who’ve played for a long time at a disadvantage and THAT is what’s frustrating.
End rant…
How Do I Get A Mystery Box?
When you launch your game today you’ll receive a few popups about the Mystery Box.
You’ll then receive a task to Open a Silver Mystery Box..
EVERYONE will get this task, even if you already own everything. (if you own everything you’ll default to an Island, and then the box will disappear)
You’ll then be given 1,000 to open the Silver Box (basically for free). Tap on the Purple 1,000 icon to start the box…
NOTE: Opening ANY of the 3 boxes will clear the task. So if you want something in the other boxes save the vouchers and wait to open another box. Again it does NOT have to be the Silver Box to you open to clear the task. So save them if you’d like (Thanks to Gio and several readers for pointing it out…)
Let me also point out, that you can buy the boxes straight out without having Vouchers. The Silver is 50 Donuts, Gold 70 Donuts and Platinum 100 donuts. IF you’ve collected vouchers already, those prices will be reduced. It’s .05 donuts for every ticket you have. So if you have 20 vouchers, it’s 1 donut off the price.
Oh and clearing the tasks rewards 25
Once you’ve completed the initial Mystery Box you’ll find it again in your store…
Simply tap the View Button to bring up the Mystery Box Trio to select a box to open.
I Don’t See the Mystery Presents In My Store?
If the Mystery Presents Icon disappears from your store, than you’ve likely already obtained everything available in the boxes.
If you don’t think that’s the case, contact EA.
And that’s really it to the Mystery Boxes my Friends. For fear of being yelled at…it’s basically the Wheel once again. EXCEPT…there are no “filler” prizes. Once you earn an item it disappears from the box, so it’s fair. And every prize is a decent prize. (in other words there are no pink fountains, or snowmen to fill up your inventory trying to get a good prize)
It’s not a bad addition to the games, and if EA makes that adjustment to award older players vouchers for items they already have it’ll be even better!
What are your thoughts on the Mystery Presents? Do you already own most of the items, so are your boxes pretty small? Do you think you’ll take a Mystery Present “plunge”? Sound off in the comments below, you know we love hearing from you!
I am getting the commentary box but when I click “go to” its doing nothing, just closing it. Im pretty sure I have all the items as I have been playing since day 1, is that why this is happening? Sucks that we dont get new things 🙁
Boo! Out of the three things available to me in the gold box, I got the only one I didn’t want. Damn that wheel!
I have a question (sorry if it’s been asked and answered before but I haven’t seen it) – each time I open the boxes the prizes are in a different order, does this this impact/influence the prize given? I really want Sophie and I’m not bothered about anything else so anyway I can maximise my chance I will take. Thank you x
I was wondering the samething and have not seen any comments on it. I also only want Sophie.
I just opened a Platinum mystery box and received Sophie Krustofsky. She was under the arrow pointing to the box. I don’t know if it was luck, or if her position was an indicator I would get her.
Not sure what the probability is, as I’ve only opened 1 box, but I got the item that was listed first.
Can’t believe I saved up 2000 of those mystery bucks and got the stupid bear cave. What a rip off!!
Bummer!
Yeah, kind of lame no credit for items already purchased. Can’t purchase some items again. One of a kind, unique items should be rewarded to those that already have them, the full voucher price.
I have been playing for a while, and have all the items. However, the Mystery Box task has never come up for me. I just started getting the bucks from the Gnome game with no explanation. Has this happened to anyone else?
Same here, had to read this post to figure out what the vouchers were 😆
Does anyone know when this ends? i.e. how long can I save up to reach platinum?
I can see how this longtime Tapper feels cheated, too …. but I will use Bonuts / Earn whatever I don’t have (ie Animal Shelter, Victor’s Secret) …. and try not to remember how painful the Wheel was 😬
I got Sophie Krustofsky on first try. Thats all i wanted so i doubt ill purchase another box. But if i acquite more dollars ill try playnium again for n costingtons!
My son has played the game from the start. Not only is he upset that he cannot play the game, but he thinks there should be some items that should not be offered again, so that the old we r players will have items that not everyone has. He purchased the items and played the game and now he is feeling rather cheated by EA. He is very let down by this event.
Thanks for all the info Alissa😊
I had only 1 item in the store to start, Victor’s Secret, I got it of course. Now I have 2 other items, but need 2000 💸 Just to get one or the other 😳
I agree with you that players who have the items already should get some sort of compensation. Really not a good move on EA’s part. I’m hesitant to buy myself donuts when it’s a few days before Christmas, as I’m sure others are. I think I’ll hold off, as much as I would love to have both items, I’ve lived without them up until now😂
Spent the free 1000 and got the Helter Shelter. When I earned 2000, I cashed them in for a Platinum prize and got The Yes Guy. I’m hoping to earn 2000 more and try to get the North Pole Monorail Station.
How are you earning that much? Did you buy pretty much all of the items that award vouchers? I have somewhat over 2,000, myself, but don’t see myself earning 2,000 more I the days that are left…
I’ve got everything of the years so completely nothing available for me. Kind of sucks they’ve not made anything new available for older and/or premium players here, it’s like leaving an empty Santa sack/stocking at the end of your bed on Christmas Day!
Also stinks, for seasoned players like us…I can’t get rid of the stupid task! It tells me to open a box but can’t get a box to open since I have all the old content!
May have been my game, but I went Platinum right from the start (by using donuts on Murderhorn).
I did NOT get the bonus 1,000 vouchers. The quest completion only said 25 and that’s what I got.
Got the Yes Man ( my only gift box offering available) the first day and now have over 3000 vouchers with nothing to spend them on…sucky….
When does this appear? Haven’t seen it yet….
Whee! Five possibilities per level. I hit Platinum a short while ago and I got what I had hoped for — Costingtons
Now, if I hit Platinum again, I hope for….
Sophie (?)
Or NP Station, or Slide Factory or Yes Guy.
Think I’ll make it to Platinum once more
Otherwise, I’ve got to send my positive vibes toward
Rink, Mall, Victors Secret or two Skins on Gold Level
(Skins? Bleh)
And nuttin’ in the Silver will stay in the open, probably go straight to storage.
Oddly(?), placement of Costingtons did NOT initiate a qwest.
I don’t have the option to buy the Nativity scene. Is it being released at a later time?
It was released today.
Now it’s there…sorry!
I thought you had to get the silver box on the first go too. Theres only 2 things left for me to get there and the things I want are in the Platinum box. As a freemium player, the only way to get the dollars is to catch the gnome and there’s no way I’m going to be able to save enough for a platinum box 🙁
I agree. I have a good deal of the items that should count for something. I didn’t realise I should have saved my original vouchers but I used them straight away. I just got a skin. The other thing is that I would much rather some of these items than the event items or even a lot of the stuff in the store.
I only had 3 items available. Sophie, NP Station, & Bear Cave & I have to admit I would have been furious if I didn’t get Sophie but I did so I’m uber happy right now. Just a quick question….I waited until Sophie ended up being directly under the prize arrow before I purchased the rest of the vouchers w/ donuts (42). Don’t know if it’s pure randomness or if this might help people actually get want they want….
Seems like this post started out informative and left off in a rant about long term players getting screwed and that’s where the comments picked up. It’s Christmas where an overweight 3ft tall elf comes down the chimney to drop off free presents. It doesn’t matter if you got what you were wanting, someone else did. Good for them. I hope all the excited players play more and the rest of us can be happy playing the game. Go tap the gnome back to his hat!!
So the ? Within the mystery boxes says 8 days remaining and the store icon says 12…. what is coded into the Files?
I bought the Elf home, which seemed to be the best value, but nothing else seems to be a good deal for what I can purchase (based on 3 years of playing and getting a lot of what’s on the list already)
Ok, ok. So someone help me out whether I’m crazy or not, but when the mystery boxes quest first began I could have SWORE I saw a premium item that generated gift vouchers every whatever amount of hours. I did not pursue it obviously because I was trying to figure out how else vouchers are gotten. I have since gone back to the store and looked for that item again and I have found nothing. Crazy? Or was it removed? Feel free to be honest on the craziness.
You get them every four hours when you clear the gnome.
I get that. I just thought I had seen an item that produces them like the tree makes broaches. Maybe I got it confused with the award amount.
Nope. Sorry.
Too much Egg Nog? – ‘Tis the season😎
I am currently receiving 48 vouches per gnome (level 13). Assume 5 gnome per day (4 + 1 friend) that is 240 per day. 11+ days left is 2640 (3168 if 6 per day). Besides buying stuff, what other ways to earn vouchers?
There is no other way currently…. so, you are starting to understand the flaw in the system? It really is just one more way to get people frustrated enough to spend donuts.
Yeah, I remember seeing it, but didn’t want to jump on it until I had more info, like how many per hour.
With my luck, I will probably get something useless. *cries*
As long as there r no itchy and scratchy signs…im happy…lol
As long as there are no Hail Ants signs….the only thing my rocket seems to retrieve from space!
Seriously! Thank goodness for that
Same here already have the stuff so no voucher box showing for me so along with the other long time players would be nice to have something new to spend the vouchers on. Shame the Iceburgs cost me doughnuts instead of being able to use vouchers. Those would have been the ideal stuff to link to the vouchers.
As a long time premium player, I got zilch. Quest didn’t even trigger for me, because I own everything already. I am still getting vouchers from the gnome, but there is nothing to spend it on. Would have been nice if they’d put at least one new item in each box, I so like opening presents 🙂
The season of goodwill seems to have turned into the silly sEAson….. Tappers are getting restless….. Me I’m just singing jingle bells and carrying on….
For anyone who cares about such things (and, frankly, there are plenty of other considerations that are more important than this when deciding which items to buy), here are the vouchers-per-donut stats for the various premium items that just went on sale, from best to worst:
Murderhorn – 10
Candy Kevin – 9
Duff Center Arena – 8.57
Egg Nog Bar and Elf Home – 7.2
Festive Trashcan Fire – 6.67
Everything else except the Land Octopus Pen – 6
Land Octopus Pen – 5.25
This doesn’t mean that the items at the top of the list are, all told, a better deal than the items near the bottom, as items can also earn varying returns in terms of cash, XP, and/or bonus %, and also take up varying amount of space (which has a cost associated with that). Plus, there’s the “fun factor” — personally, I think a Land Octopus is more fun than the Murderhorn! 😉 (And I can’t imagine having Candy Kevin dancing around my town the other 11 months of the year…but that’s just me…)
Thank you Sandra for posting this info, I was just wondering about this. I like the idea of the Murderhorn but it takes up so much room, after *all* the recent jumbo sized buildings EA has added I’m shying away from big stuff. I’ll have to ponder my dilemma.