With fall quickly approaching for the northern hemisphere, it’s time to start thinking about those holiday LEGO sets. One of the first coming out in the wave for 2023 is 40642 Gingerbread Ornaments, featuring a wealth of customizable looks on the basic anthropomorphic cookie pattern. But will these constructible confections lead to some delicious creations, or are they only half-baked? Composed of 190 pieces, 40642 Gingerbread Ornaments will be available in the UK starting on September 1, with the US and Canada having to wait until October 1. The set will retail for US $12.99 | CAN $16.99 | UK £10.99.
The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.
The box and contents
Sporting a green stripe on one end, the festive box features three cookies on its front, amid a background of Christmas tree branches and holiday lights. These are the three ornaments which can be built following the instructions. The back of the box showcases some alternate designs, encouraging the customization of the final product. All the fun of icing cookies, but without the inevitable sticky fingers and sugary calories. As a diehard gingerbread fan, I’m honestly torn which one I would prefer more….
I slice through the tape on one of the side flaps and pour out its contents. Included is a small instruction booklet, a bag labeled “1,” two bags labeled “2,” and an unlabeled bag with larger plates and the obligatory brick separator. Given the amount of reassembly during the customization phase, the orange wonder tool was a great addition!
The build
Bag 1 contains the base for all three gingerbread people. Assembly is pretty straightforward and quick. Given the simple construction, it’s a relatively easy base to replicate, though the availability of these parts in medium nougat outside of this set may be limited. Without any decoration, they definitely give off a Meeple vibe (shout out to my fellow Carcassonne fans).
Both of the “2” bags contain the festive bits with which to get decorating. Following through on the instructions, I’m left with a darling kid in suspenders with croissants for eyebrows, a smiling Gingerbreadian rocking an icing hairdo with some serious up-swoosh, and a third mouthless cookie with some longer frosting locks and an green outfit. The 2D designs are simple and festive, exactly what I would want from a LEGO ornament of this type. This step also includes the bag tag ring from Dots sets, allowing the ornaments to properly hook onto a pine bough.
Customization
After following the instructions to their conclusion, of course I need to get to customizing a set that welcomes such adaptation. Even before beginning disassembly of the “candy” layer of these ornaments, I still have quite the pile of parts included in the set to work with.
But, I confess, I wasn’t able to channel my full Christmas spirit in late August. This bundle of bits in festive colors just wasn’t sparking my creativity. But with the rest of my LEGO collection, I was able to bring something together. And I’d like to think that’s the point of this set. The parts that are included – while an excellent smattering of reds, greens, and whites appropriate for the season – they’re just a starting point. The end result can be whatever you want, even if it ends up on Ice Planet 2002.
Conclusions and recommendations
This is a set that accomplishes exactly what it set out to do. It’s not trying to be a display piece like Santa’s sleigh or a wreath, it’s not a part of a larger series like the Winter Village. This is a holiday-themed art project in a box meant for builders of all ages. The parts supplied are a great starting point for assembly, including several candy-esque pieces and colors that match the season. And the ability to add to the fun with your existing collection is just icing on the cookie! For the price, this would make some great stocking stuffer fodder, except you’re going to want to get it early in the season to help decorate the tree. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have more gingerbread spacemen to build.
40642 Gingerbread Ornaments is made of 190 pieces and will hit store shelves on September 1 for Great Britain and October 1 for the US and Canada. The retail prices in these regions are US $12.99 | CAN $16.99 | UK £10.99
The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.
Here’s a gallery with all the review images:
