Tag Archives: Christmas

New LEGO sets for October 2023 now available for purchase [News]

It’s almost become its own holiday for LEGO fans: the first of the month brings a new slate of sets to the shelves of LEGO stores and LEGO.com. Lines will be formed, items will go on backorder, and Christmas preparations will be made. The month of October offers plenty of new sets for the upcoming holidays and in tribute to Disney franchises old and new. Early access to some of these sets may require you to be a member of the LEGO Insider program (if you were a VIP previously, you’re now an Insider by default).

Check out all the new sets below

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LEGO Icons 40642 Gingerbread Ornaments [Review]

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.

Click for the full review!

War makes gingerbread boys into gingerbread men

“Man the gumdrop cannons! We’re on General Kringle’s naughty list this year!” Builder Mike Sinclair gives us a LEGO scene that has the Christmas season fighting against itself. Maybe you’re rooting for St. Nick and his elven troops, armed with a present catapult and cannon. But if you’re like me, you’re on the side of the Gingerbread Kingdom. With their cookie castle surrounded by a chocolate moat, these confectionary combatants aren’t about to crumble under pressure. The fortress is a beautiful mish-mash of classic castle shapes laced with bits of icing and other sweet treats. It’s an extremely well-executed fusion of themes. And, much like the smell of gingerbread, it’s got me hungry for more!

We still have Christmas cheer so long as the eggnog is good

Before you give us gruff that Christmas has passed, you don’t take down your holiday tree right at midnight on the start of the 26th, do you? No, of course not! We keep Christmas in our hearts at least until the holiday food expires. In the case of fruitcake, you could be reluctantly sampling it right up through July. The calendar you bought for Christmas is now 50% off but that doesn’t stop us from featuring this LEGO Christmas stork built by Pascal Hetzel. I don’t want to be the one to explain the birds and the bees to you but almost everyone knows that babies are delivered by storks. The same holds true for Christmas presents for instances when the usual fat man can’t be bothered to stuff himself down your chimney. I love the snow, the roof tiles, and the Wolverine claws used to texture the nest. Frankly, I don’t care who delivers my Christmas gifts, so long as the eggnog is tasty. Is mentioning eggnog around a stork considered insensitive?

The hippest holiday builds we’ve ever seen.

We’ve often praised Dan Ko for his inventive parts usage, but these two Christmas ornaments might just take the cake…or fruitcake, as it were. Starting with a set of legless minifigure hips as faces, Dan has crafted Santa and the traditional Christmas Nutcracker as ornaments suitable for hanging on any LEGO fan’s tree.

Santa’s got minifigure parts working overtime, as a single leg fills in for his beard. And I’m particularly impressed with the small space Dan was able to leave in the Nutcracker to denote his chompers. Make sure to check out more of our coverage of Dan’s impressive builds right here.

Something’s fishy about this holiday scene…

At first glance, this North Pole build by ForlonEmpire is as heartwarming as it is well constructed. A young penguin interrupts Santa’s fishing expedition to offer him a present. Santa himself is teeming with great parts usage, from the big-fig arms getting an upgrade as Santa’s upper arms, to the pair of bucket handles doing double-duty as his belt buckle. And the semi-circle tiles as bows are inspired. But the more you think about it, the more sinister this scene becomes. Why is there a sled full of presents in this remote location? The answer is obvious. Santa has laid-off his elf work force because penguin labor is so much cheaper. This penguin isn’t giving Santa a gift. He’s made the gift in exchange for a fish. Santa’s cornered the market on herring and if the penguins don’t work, they starve! Merry Christmas!

After a long night, Santa deserves a break!

Nothing beats a good sit in your favorite chair after a long shift at work. And in this yuletide LEGO build by Koen Zwanenburg, we see the man of the hour, Saint Nicholas himself, taking a break after his most logistically-challenging night of the year. And boy, does he deliver (Koen, that is) when it comes to the use of curved slopes. They’re adeptly used to shape Santa’s beard, boots, and belly, not to mention the dark red seat he sits in. The exposed studs to represent the white fur on the outfit is truly a gift, as is the gold filigree along the edges of the armchair. But my favorite bit has got to be the cute little bows on the packages. I’ve struggled this season to create ribbon in this blocky medium for my own builds, yet Koen achieves it so easily here with wedge plates, cheese slopes, and tiles. And with that, I should probably check and see if the big guy left anything under the tree for me. Fingers crossed it’s a LEGO Minecraft set. Have a very Merry Christmas!

When I have too much holiday eggnog I get Krampus

Sure I love Christmas as much as anyone else. But sometimes you want a more traditional holiday and show up with a birch rod, scare the bejesus out of misbehaving kids, and stuff them in a wicker basket. Who’s with me on this? Am I right? Anyone? No? Anyway, I’m sure renowned LEGO builder Corvus Auriac knows what I mean as evidenced by this creepy Krampus figure of Alpine folklore. I like the crazed eyes, the snow globe in his hand, and the serpent peeking from beneath his robe. What’s in the bag, Krampus? It’s probably best not to ask too many questions but the teddy bear and the red stains tell me someone won’t be getting that Peppa Pig toy train they wanted. The builder says that this is a render but can be achieved using real LEGO bricks. If your sentiments veer on the dark side, (you know who you are) then check out our Corvus Auriac archives.

It only takes a pair to party properly

Nathan Hake proves that holiday celebrations don’t need to be crowded affairs. This adorable bundled-up penguin and his dancing crustacean friend are celebrating in style all by themselves. The penguin is sporting a one-of-a-kind jacket that’s just his size, with a furred collar, shiny buttons, and big pockets for keeping a few extra fish snacks on hand. The crab doesn’t need a coat to stay warm, as he dances the night away with a turn of the crank on his gift box – hopefully he doesn’t spill his drink.

A cookie worth writing home about.

With housing prices on the rise, Albert Lee invites you to consider the many joys of affordable gingerbread living. Gingerbread offers a variety of benefits; multistory construction, sugar glass windows, and a yard made from icing to help conserve water. Of course, you’re going to be in trouble if it rains. But that’s a risk worth taking in this market.

With Thanksgiving officially over, it begins!

Here in the US, the turkey has now been carved, the parade has concluded, and your relatives have sufficiently inquired as to why you still don’t have a girlfriend (I’m focusing on LEGO, obviously!). But that can mean only one thing. The Christmas season is headed right for us! I find it best to ease into the festive spirit, and what better way to do that than with this kitchen scene by Sarah Beyer. The use of lighting here is exquisite, and reminds me of midnight snacks in my parents’ kitchen from years gone by. And the scene feels clean while still remaining interesting, with a bottle of bright green dish detergent next to the sink, the tree set up in the corner, and the table with baking remnants upon it. But don’t forget the gingerbread abode resting on the counter, made with the clever use of some hinge pieces. The only thing that’s missing is some Mannheim Steamroller playing in the background.

Milk and cookies? No, engine oil and gasoline, please

There is a race track (or more specifically, a drag strip) in the UK called Santa Pod. I wonder if that’s where Sergio Batista‘s festive hot-rod is headed, to spread some festive cheer worthy if its name! It certainly wouldn’t be out of place. The custom chrome pieces, while not completely purist, really complete the look, particularly with that red-and-gold combination. It’s probably not the most subtle way of delivering presents – you’d definitely hear Santa Claus coming, looking at the size of the exhaust. I imagine it’s still fairly rapid though. What’s the conversion from horsepower to reindeer-power again?