Two Christmas sets revealed
Posted by Huw,
It seems that the sets revealed today at LEGO.com should not have been, because they've now all be removed from the shop. Luckily, we gathered the pictures before they disappeared!
Among the sets to make a brief appearance were two seasonal ones, 40640 Nutcracker and 40642 Gingerbread Ornaments, which I believe will be available from 1st September.
The gingerbread men look good enough to eat :)
View photos of both after the break.
40640 Nutcracker
40642 Gingerbread Ornaments
71 likes
40 comments on this article
You guys are FAST.
The Nutcracker looks really nice, the Gingerbread Ornaments look a bit plane. But it probably has to do with the fact that they can't be heavy, else they'll fall from the tree.
The Nutcracker's face isn't doing it for me and I wish he looked closer to the Brickheadz version a few years ago.
@ubik_bricks said:
"The Nutcracker looks really nice, the Gingerbread Ornaments look a bit plane. But it probably has to do with the fact that they can't be heavy, else they'll fall from the tree."
Except for his eyes.
@R0Sch said:
"The gingerbread ornaments look amusing, but what went wrong with the nutcracker? Did they leave him/her/they to long in the sun or this another diversity thing?"
People like gingerbread men and nutcrackers. Maybe they decided to combine the two?
I'll have to get the nutcracker, as I have all the previous nutcrackers except for 4002017, which was an employee gift. I even have 41353, which had a little nutcracker build in one of the ornaments. (It also had a gingerbread man, amusingly enough.) I also love Lego Christmas ornaments, so will have to pick up the other one.
40640 seems like a nice companion to 40254.
@Toa_of_Pi said:
"40640 seems like a nice companion to 40254."
My thoughts exactly. Perhaps it's supposed to represent his spouse.
My favorite Nutcracker is 4002017, which I have, albeit admittedly only a Chinese knockoff version.
I prefer the Christmas Brickheadz over this brick-built nutcracker. I hope they're not done with the line.
The nutcracker looks like they are being arrested with that belt thing. Maybe a Gingerbread man impersonating a Nutcracker and therefore is being detained for further questioning??
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...
@ubik_bricks said:
"The Nutcracker looks really nice, the Gingerbread Ornaments look a bit plane. But it probably has to do with the fact that they can't be heavy, else they'll fall from the tree."
Well, they're mostly flat, so it makes sense they're *plane* (vs. plain).
I'm not very impressed with either of these. But they are Christmas themed so I most likely will end up buying both of them anyway. Maybe I'll wait to see if they get price reductions. The gingerbread people are too square, they should have used some curved/rounded pieces for the arms & legs. The Nutcracker looks too froofy.
Alternative eyes are provided for the Nutcracker, as was seen in the box picture.
That's great and everything, but what about Halloween?
@StyleCounselor said:
"Sometimes I feel like my Lego collection is getting contaminated just by reading your comments."
ROFL
Funniest comment I've read in ages.
Wait, I have more. Did you know that my collection consists of sets from, by now, seventeen (!) different* manufacturers?
Ah, the horror for the purist. ;-p
(*LEGO, BlueBrixx, Cobi, CaDa, Mega/MegaConstrux/MegaBloks, Xingbao, Qman, Gudi, MyBricks, Decool, Panlos, Loz, Sembo, Lepin, Sy, Best-Lock, Balody)
@AustinPowers said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
"Sometimes I feel like my Lego collection is getting contaminated just by reading your comments."
ROFL
Funniest comment I've read in ages.
Wait, I have more. Did you know that my collection consists of sets from, by now, seventeen (!) different* manufacturers?
Ah, the horror for the purist. ;-p
(*LEGO, BlueBrixx, Cobi, CaDa, Mega/MegaConstrux/MegaBloks, Xingbao, Qman, Gudi, MyBricks, Decool, Panlos, Loz, Sembo, Lepin, Sy, Best-Lock, Balody) "
Fight the Man! Carry on Mr. Powers.
Are you making up some of those names?
@StyleCounselor : though I do admit that I don't mix parts, and would never consider doing so.
Which is easy anyway, since all the sets I have from other manufacturers stay on display permanently, while most of those from LEGO get disassembled, put in the parts bins, and reassembled frequently.
@Ridgeheart said:
"Ph'nglui h' mgfm'latghnah n'gha'agl ph'nglui mgepog Antarctica, Dreadflipper fhtagn yah'or'nanahh mgyogor."
I agree
@AustinPowers said:
" @Toa_of_Pi said:
"40640 seems like a nice companion to 40254."
My thoughts exactly. Perhaps it's supposed to represent his spouse.
My favorite Nutcracker is 4002017, which I have, albeit admittedly only a Chinese knockoff version. "
where do you find a Chinese knockoff to buy?
@gromit6 : at the time I didn't even know it was a knockoff set. Bought it years ago on Aliexpress after browsing for Christmas-related items. It looked cool, wasn't expensive, and since the official version wasn't in the Bricklink (or Brickset) database yet at the time I thought it was an original idea. Nothing about it looked like a real LEGO set. Let alone the weird shape of the packaging (which later turned out to be true to the original after all).
@StyleCounselor : all the names I mentioned are real. Most are Chinese companies, MyBricks is a tiny German startup with only four sets in their lineup.
Personally I think both sets are bad and ugly. I hope there are some better sets coming this fall.
I don't like either. The nutcracker is way too dark to be a traditional nutcracker and the hands and feet on the gingerbread figures are terrible. They should have used the rounded tiles.
Okay, now that the database isn't acting up (the "Nutcracker" tag was showing zero sets when I looked earlier, so I searched for "Nutcracker" on Bricklink, and had all the sets listed except for 4002017), I see that there are two more I don't own,https://brickset.com/sets/MMMB045-1/Nutcracker-Toy-Soldier and 5004420. The Friends Advent Calendar I mentioned isn't listed under the "Nutcracker" tag, so I guess Brickset considers it to just be a toy soldier. despite it being identical to the figure in 40106, which does have the tag.
Really, my post was deleted because I said these sets are horrible?! Or, that people doing a bad job should be held to account?
What policy does that violate? The 'we support Lego at all costs' policy? Is Brickset losing all semblance of ANY objectivity?
Or, have we really reached the point in contemporary society where no one is allowed to tell another that their work is so lazy, sad, and pathetic that they should endure emotional consequences for said crappy work?
The field I work in is subject to public scrutiny in addition to well-funded attacks by highly-educated opposition. Grow some thick skin Lego professionals (including Brickset), or design better sets, or get a different job!
And... get off my lawn!!
@StyleCounselor said:
"Really, my post was deleted because I said these sets are horrible?! Or, that people doing a bad job should be held to account?"
I didn't see your deleted post so I'm just guessing, but personally I'd much rather read notes from designers about sets that they're involved with than posts bordering on personal attacks that are likely to discourage them.
@sjr60 said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
"Really, my post was deleted because I said these sets are horrible?! Or, that people doing a bad job should be held to account?"
I didn't see your deleted post so I'm just guessing, but personally I'd much rather read notes from designers about sets that they're involved with than posts bordering on personal attacks that are likely to discourage them.
"
I agree.
But, all I said is they should feel bad. I feel bad for having to look at these sets.
@StyleCounselor said:
" @sjr60 said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
"Really, my post was deleted because I said these sets are horrible?! Or, that people doing a bad job should be held to account?"
I didn't see your deleted post so I'm just guessing, but personally I'd much rather read notes from designers about sets that they're involved with than posts bordering on personal attacks that are likely to discourage them.
"
I agree.
But, all I said is they should feel bad. I feel bad for having to look at these sets."
Your indignant reply suggests that you said a lot more than that!
@sjr60 said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @sjr60 said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
"Really, my post was deleted because I said these sets are horrible?! Or, that people doing a bad job should be held to account?"
I didn't see your deleted post so I'm just guessing, but personally I'd much rather read notes from designers about sets that they're involved with than posts bordering on personal attacks that are likely to discourage them.
"
I agree.
But, all I said is they should feel bad. I feel bad for having to look at these sets."
Your indignant reply suggests that you said a lot more than that!"
That's why I'm indignant! When I'm at BS, I really try to bury the claws and hide my fangs. I try to be nice, and maybe, funny. I really do..... sometimes it doesn't work, though. ;)
@StyleCounselor said:
" @sjr60 said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @sjr60 said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
"Really, my post was deleted because I said these sets are horrible?! Or, that people doing a bad job should be held to account?"
I didn't see your deleted post so I'm just guessing, but personally I'd much rather read notes from designers about sets that they're involved with than posts bordering on personal attacks that are likely to discourage them.
"
I agree.
But, all I said is they should feel bad. I feel bad for having to look at these sets."
Your indignant reply suggests that you said a lot more than that!"
That's why I'm indignant! When I'm at BS, I really try to bury the claws and hide my fangs. I try to be nice, and maybe, funny. I really do..... sometimes it doesn't work, though. ;)"
"their work is so lazy, sad, and pathetic"
Your fang hiding technique needs a bit more work!
@sjr60 said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @sjr60 said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @sjr60 said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
"Really, my post was deleted because I said these sets are horrible?! Or, that people doing a bad job should be held to account?"
I didn't see your deleted post so I'm just guessing, but personally I'd much rather read notes from designers about sets that they're involved with than posts bordering on personal attacks that are likely to discourage them.
"
I agree.
But, all I said is they should feel bad. I feel bad for having to look at these sets."
Your indignant reply suggests that you said a lot more than that!"
That's why I'm indignant! When I'm at BS, I really try to bury the claws and hide my fangs. I try to be nice, and maybe, funny. I really do..... sometimes it doesn't work, though. ;)"
"their work is so lazy, sad, and pathetic"
Your fang hiding technique needs a bit more work!
"
That was hypothetical. I'm using extremes to illustrate the logical conclusions of a policy that is wildly overprotective. By examining the extremes of a logical rubric, we can often come to a realization that the rubric becomes useless or self-defeating.
In this case, eliminating all critical elements that refer to a person is ridiculous. These are works for sale in the public domain. They are clearly designed and approved for sale to the public by real humans. But, I didn't insult anyone personally. I didn't refer to anyone individually. I merely used the term 'bad' to refer to the emotional state that their work should make them feel.
I feel bad sometimes about my work. I either apologize or edit!!
All that being said, those gingerbread demons need an edit and an apology!*
* I most humbly apologize to anyone or anything who has experienced the slightest, or even trivial,
disturbance of emotional equanimity due to any comment of mine, or any fleeting thought or memory jogged by my comments, or any comment that might have been elicted by my comment regardless of whether said person or thing is a Lego designer, Lego fan website operator, or large plastic toy making conglomerate. Again. I humbly apologize.
@StyleCounselor : love that apology-addendum.
I feel I should add that to all of my comments as well :-)
Well crafted bs is still bs!
Purely hypothetically of course...
@sjr60 said:
"Well crafted bs is still bs!
Purely hypothetically of course..."
Be careful. That's worse than what I said.
Both are true, of course. ;)
@AustinPowers
Feel free to copy and paste. No need for attribution.
@Ridgeheart : to quote one of my favorite quotable artists, Weird Al Yankovic:
"Think you're really righteous?
Think you're pure in heart?
Well, I know I'm a million times as humble as thou art."
:-)
Of course by Christmas my Lego budget will probably be shifting to heating bills again so the desirability of these sets may well be irrelevant. Roll on next Spring!
@AustinPowers said:
" @Ridgeheart : to quote one of my favorite quotable artists, Weird Al Yankovic:
"Think you're really righteous?
Think you're pure in heart?
Well, I know I'm a million times as humble as thou art."
:-) "
Oh Lord it's hard to be humble
When you're perfect in every way
I can't wait to look in the mirror
Cause I get better looking each day
To know me is to love me
I must be a hell of a man
Oh Lord It's hard to be humble,
But I'm doing the best that I can
I don't know why I get a weird "Alvin & the Chipmunks" vibe from the gingerbread men, but now I can't unsee it.
Moving on from Stylegate…
@chrisaw said:
"Alternative eyes are provided for the Nutcracker, as was seen in the box picture."
I can’t decide which set of eyes is worse.
@sjr60 said:
[[ @AustinPowers said:
[[ @Ridgeheart : to quote one of my favorite quotable artists, Weird Al Yankovic:
"Think you're really righteous?
Think you're pure in heart?
Well, I know I'm a million times as humble as thou art."
:-) ]]
Oh Lord it's hard to be humble
When you're perfect in every way
I can't wait to look in the mirror
Cause I get better looking each day
To know me is to love me
I must be a hell of a man
Oh Lord It's hard to be humble,
But I'm doing the best that I can]]
@yellowcastle said:
[[Moving on from Stylegate…
You guys are killing humble StyleCounselor!!
Another spilled cup of coffee from snort laughing. Thanks a lot.