Friends Advent Calendar: Day 1
Posted by MeganL,
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas…….by the fact that it's time to start Advent Calendars again! I have the privilege of experiencing the Friends Advent Calendar with you again this year. Last year I called the Friends calendar one with a minimalist theme. This year's calendar has one less piece than last year's. Based on the numbers, this doesn't sound promising, but maybe the content will make up for it. Click on as we check out the packaging and our first gift!
The front of the advent calendar box shows a snowy hilly winter scene. A cozy cottage replete with Christmas lights is in the background set among many Christmas type trees. We see Stephanie whizzing around on a sled. The sled is pulling a few cars that carry Stephanie's companions, an assortment of cute animals or some other important cargo, such as presents!
The back of the box shows the same winter cottage in the background but a picture of the advent calendar in the foreground. The graphic demonstrates that the top flips down to reveal a placemat for all the surprises found in the calendar. There's also an indication that new surprises will be available on December 25 - I'm assuming these will be alternate builds. For those of you who persevere with me through all 24 days of the calendar, you'll have to wait a couple days for those surprises as I'll be traveling on Christmas and won't be back to update until a few days after.
The placemat for the calendar shows an outdoor scene. There are trees framing a path - undoubtedly one for the sled to follow. Someone has lost one of their mittens in the upper right hand corner. A frozen pond is on the right, and it looks like a bunny is having a great time sliding around the ice.
So what's behind door number 1?
Stephanie is the first Friend to make a reappearance in the advent calendar - each of the original Friends has been featured in a previous year. Both Stephanie's torso and legs are somewhat new, having only been seen in 41319 Snow Resort Hot Chocolate Van, albeit not in the same minidoll. She wears an ice blue sweater with a printed Nordic style snowflakes pattern. Matching her sweater is her adorable skirt over white tights, and her look is finished with boots with white tasseled laces. She is ready for some time in the great outdoors.
Her accessories include a to do list - maybe she's prepping for a party, considering she also has a party hat. She may not be wearing it much, since she's the only minidoll in the calendar this year. However, Stephanie will have several cute animal companions with whom to celebrate.
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Nice minidoll (& I think the outfit looks better on her)- but that wasn't enough reason for me to pick up the Friends calendar this year. I liked the minor characters appearing in christmas outfits in previous years & since there isn't one this year & nothing new or exciting in builds that I could see...
I did notice the picture of the calendar showing how to place things on the fold-down mat is something of a spoiler as you know what's behind the three doors with arrows coming from them
My daughter was thrilled to break open door 1 this morning! She got out her other winter-sweatered minidolls from previous years/sets and they get to hang out with Stephanie today. This is a fun little tradition. Enjoy yours too!
(We thought the to-do list was a wish list, though.)
I don't know why, but I find it funny that the lost mitten in the right hand corner is for a right hand!
I really dont like the calendars this year. Even if friends one is best we get yet. City is still best one.
That bunny on the flap looks unnecesary.
I'd love to see that torso print on a regular minifig torso, very elegant and not overly Christmas-specific.
The Friends advent calendars are indeed light on pieces overall but I do love their variety of winter outfits. Why they can't do a new winter outfit or two for the winter village line each year, I am not sure...
There appear to be some neat pieces/builds in this but I have to admit I'm put off that there is only one mini-doll. Baffled, really. There ought be a pair of Friends so that both can celebrate the holiday season together and better interact with the animals and such. That's just my imagination talking LOL!
Only one minidoll is unfortunate (We’re opening last year’s Friends calendar this year as I only bought last year’s on clearance.) I’m still holding my breath for a male minidoll wearing red with white trim and a Santa hat.