Why are there calendars everywhere in Stardew Valley, and what’s its importance? How do you even get one in the first place? Follow this simple guide to know more.
The Calendar is a piece of furniture in Stardew Valley that lets you see the current day, season, and year. It can be found near the message board at Pierre’s shop or bought from Robin’s Carpenter shop.
It is one of the first few items you might have used for a specific purpose in the early game – but not for long. Most beginners take the calendar for granted and never touch it again because of a tight schedule.
Having low energy and the fear of passing out and losing some of your valuables and gold is understandable. You get the feeling of just returning to bed after a day of hard work to recharge and get ready for tomorrow.
But if you isolate yourself that way from the rest of the town, the game wouldn’t be enjoyable.
In this topic, we’ll talk about the calendar, why you should use it for a better gameplay, and where to get one.
Inside the Calendar
A calendar in Stardew Valley contains the days of a week, season, and year. Unlike the Gregorian Calendar, where there are 31 days, you only have 28 in-game. After the 28th day passes, a new season will start. After all four seasons, the game will advance a year, and the season will cycle like in real life.
On a closer inspection, you may have noticed some familiar faces from Pelican Town and Calico Desert below the date – that’s their birthday! And the flags? Those are important town events such as festivals, celebrations, or even your marriage!
Uses of the calendar
Your gameplay would be more organized and enjoyable if you often look at a calendar. It may sound ridiculous, but there are five fantastic reasons you should know that experienced players include this in their daily routine!
friendship and dating
Despite being a casual farming simulator game, ConcernedApe had the wildest idea of bringing the elements of romance in Stardew Valley. It’s the most genius concept for someone who knows well their target audience.
In total, there are six bachelors and bachelorettes you can date and marry. These are Penny, Emily, Haley, Maru, Abigail, Leah, Sam, Shane, Alex, Sebastian, Harvey, and Elliott. Each one has tragic, adventurous, cold, and other exciting stories that everyone can relate to.
But how do we get to that part? Of course, you have to be friendly and heartwarming – even if you hate the blonde lady who constantly picks on your looks.
Every NPC in the game has different preferences, whether they’ll love or hate the present you’ll give. Gifting them their ideal item gets you a good friendship score. If you throw clay or fiber in front of their faces, there’s really not much to expect aside from a slap.
But things become more exciting on their birthday because of a bonus multiplier once you send them their favorite item. That’s why you must check the calendar daily as it can help you get on their good side better. If you want to know the perfect present for someone you plan on marrying in Stardew Valley, we’ve got you covered in this guide.
attending festivals
Pale ale, bouquet, and music are enough for a warm celebration. And also to put up the mayor’s shorts in Luau or Grange Display (if you’re brave enough). Poor Lewis.
Kidding aside, Pelican Town has embraced many festivals, including the most prominent Flower Dance, Feast of the Winter Star, Stardew Valley Fair, and more. If you’re planning on attending one of these occasions, it’d be the perfect break from the endless tilling and digging of your farmland just to get a handful of gold.
Not only can you look at the calendar to save the date, but Lewis, the town’s Mayor, will send you a mail for any upcoming festivals – so there’s no reason not to attend.
Why? Aside from witnessing beautiful landscapes and experiencing the town’s festivities, you can get access to exclusive items you can’t buy from a regular shop. This puts you at an advantage as long as you have the money.
In terms of competition, there would be ample time to prepare and advance the quotas meant for the celebration day.
the four seasons
It’s not easy to miss the time and date of a year when playing Stardew Valley. But when it comes to predicting whether you can harvest cauliflowers on the 20th, that could be a problem. Are you not looking at the calendar and days it will take to get the crops for the second time?
Unless you’re a wheat hoarder, don’t repeat the same mistake. Instead, keep an eye on your calendar if you have one in your house. It will save you plenty of time in the long run, and you can achieve maximum profitability in your scaling farm.
On top of that, you’ll get a better glimpse of what opportunities are available. If it’s spring, summer, and fall, you might be focusing on fishing and farming. On the other hand, mining would be the perfect path in winter.
There are also minor seasons to consider as you check the calendar. First is the Salmonberry season, which occurs on Spring 15 to 18, a decent amount of seashell forages at the Beach on Summer 12 to 14, and the Blackberry season at Fall 8 to 11.
Marriage
The moment I gifted Haley with a Mermaid’s Pendant way back 2017, I can’t stop looking at the date of my player’s marriage. It was exciting, and for the best part, there’s a different joy as you check the calendar like a paranoid psycho.
The point is that revisiting and reminding yourself the day of the month encourages you to do it regularly. That’s how other priorities, such as my enthusiasm in looking out for upcoming feasts and seasons, were brought to life.
Other agenda
Stardew Valley is not just a game of hard work in the fields, flirting with the villagers, or attacking George with a slingshot (seriously, don’t). It’s also more on micro-managing and microtasks to take you further down your main goal.
Most of the time, you are subconsciously looking at the calendar, buying seeds at Pierre’s, and doing it before Wednesday. Assuming you haven’t defeated Morris and his JojaMart goons, you have no other choice than to stock up early or buy overpriced goods.
You might also note which day to do your Watering Can upgrade so you won’t miss an opportunity when the weather is good for thriving crops. Waiting for the Night Market? Checking the calendar is a baby step for a bigger event that you surely will enjoy.
Another interesting microtask you may be doing is fetching the cryptic Wizard his requested item and along the way, Haley’s eggplant, for who knows what reason. You can simultaneously micromanage and do many micro-tasks in Stardew Valley with no pressure, thanks to the calendar.
Getting your own calendar
I know the pain of getting up early, tending to crop and farm animals, and walking towards the Town Square to mark dates for an upcoming event. The good news is you can remove that part of the story.
With these two ways, you can have your very own calendar hung in the most convenient spot inside your house.
Robin owns the Carpenter Shop in the North, where she offers resources and crafting recipes for a price. Along with the variety of goods, she sells a calendar for 2000g.
Alternatively, you can buy the Furniture Catalogue for 200,000g in the same shop. This item allows you to get access to a collection of attractive furniture for 0g! Included on the list is the calendar, but I’m assuming you already figured out a way to buy the individual item at Robin’s shop.
Feeling lost in the Valley? Don’t worry. We can give you directions from this helpful guide, so you’ll know where the local carpenter lives.
Conclusion
Minding the dates in Stardew Valley can give you a nice kickstart, even if it’s your first year. Truth be told, it’s the perfect time management tool for your plans inside and outside the farming hustle. Spend a few coins in the calendar, and the return would be much bigger.
