Review: 40642 Gingerbread Ornaments
Posted by Huw,
LEGO has been making gingerbread-related sets since the appearance of a minifigure version in Collectable Minifigures Series 11 in 2013.
With just 105 days until Christmas and LEGO having just launched its festive assortment, now's a good time to review the latest one, 40642 Gingerbread Ornaments, despite being in the middle of a rare British heatwave.
Summary
40642 Gingerbread Ornaments, 190 pieces.
£10.99 / $12.99 / €12.99 | 5.8p/6.8c/6.8c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
A fun and creative festive set
- Pocket-money priced
- None
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
The tradition of making the human-shaped tasty treats goes to Elizabethan times, when the queen would ask her royal gingerbread maker produce them to represent the dignitaries and guests at her banquets.
Just like the real thing when fresh out of the oven, these LEGO gingerbread people provide a blank canvas on which to decorate them with icing.
The set contains three identical figures which are built using a combination of plates and tiles, held together with 'A' plates.
The fun part of building comes when adding the 'icing'. Parts and instructions for three rather elaborate designs are provided and there are a few spare pieces too, so you can come up with your own.
I have no idea why they all have ice creams about their person and Google has shed no light. Perhaps it's a Danish thing?
These are the spare parts you can use in your own designs.
The 'attachment ring no. 1' that can be used to hang them up was introduced for Dots sets bag charms and has seen a few other uses elsewhere since.
This is a fun pocket-money set that provides creative fun for all ages and will look great hanging from your Christmas tree.
Making these with your kids is certainly going to be less messy than baking the real thing but admittedly not as tasty.
105 likes
32 comments on this article
Thats a cute set for that price, you could probably get two and mix and match parts.
You say they aren't as tasty as real gingerbread... Did you actually taste them to say that?
If so, something is very, very wrong at Brickset towers.
Really need to see what they look like after 20 minutes in the oven!
The dirty oven tray gives more realism to the review.... mmmmhhhh
I have a bunch of A plates in my spares collection. Not sure where they came from because I don’t really see them used all that often, but they are the bane of my storage attempts. They just don’t stack and file nicely, in any non-chaotic way.
They look too sturdy, what with that long gray piece on the back. How are you supposed to replicate the "just had its head bitten off" look?
@Murdoch17 said:
"You say they aren't as tasty as real gingerbread... Did you actually taste them to say that?
If so, something is very, very wrong at Brickset towers."
We live in a post-Switch world. Everything can be tasted.
@Andrusi said:
" @Murdoch17 said:
"You say they aren't as tasty as real gingerbread... Did you actually taste them to say that?
If so, something is very, very wrong at Brickset towers."
We live in a post-Switch world. Everything can be tasted."
LEGO is a big choking hazard and putting it in your mouth should not even be joked about.
That's great and everything, but where are our Halloween sets?
Ooh, they look a little scorched on the back…
@Andrusi said:
"We live in a post-Switch world. Everything can be tasted."
True, but everything can also be petted. And yet, the regular stream of Tourons of Yellowstone videos I see articles about seems to prove that it does not always end well. Often hilariously, but not well.
These would have looked better using rounded tiles and / or plates to round off the ends of the arms and legs. Those square corners don't look very good. Either the oval tiles, or a 2x2 round plate with a half round tile on top.
@FARLANDER said:
"The dirty oven tray gives more realism to the review.... mmmmhhhh"
Not dirt, but rust spots from being in the dishwasher :-)
@Huw said:
" @FARLANDER said:
"The dirty oven tray gives more realism to the review.... mmmmhhhh"
Not dirt, but rust spots from being in the dishwasher :-)"
Put a small ball of aluminium foil in the cutlery basket when using the dishwasher and you shouldn't have problems with that kind of rust again. Works a treat in our machine.
They were very crunchy.
@AustinPowers said:
" @Huw said:
" @FARLANDER said:
"The dirty oven tray gives more realism to the review.... mmmmhhhh"
Not dirt, but rust spots from being in the dishwasher :-)"
Put a small ball of aluminium foil in the cutlery basket when using the dishwasher and you shouldn't have problems with that kind of rust again. Works a treat in our machine. "
Interesting, thanks, I'll try that!
@Huw, not to hijack the thread, but is there a review of the Concorde coming? I know the review copy was late to the party.
@MrJackson said:
" @Huw, not to hijack the thread, but is there a review of the Concorde coming? I know the review copy was late to the party."
There is. @CapnRex101 will be able to give an estimate of when he hopes to publish it.
@CCC said:
"These would have looked better using rounded tiles and / or plates to round off the ends of the arms and legs. Those square corners don't look very good. Either the oval tiles, or a 2x2 round plate with a half round tile on top."
You are right, and I'm pretty sure the 2x4 oval tile has been made in the right colour already.
Man, and I thought Sinterklaas confectionaries (a Dutch holiday on December 5th) being in stores in August was early.
I think the heatwave (we had it here as well) might have been a sign meant to Brickset HQ all along XD
In all seriousness, thanks for the review! I had no idea this set even existed!
@Binnekamp said:
"Man, and I thought Sinterklaas confectionaries (a Dutch holiday on December 5th) being in stores in August was early.
I think the heatwave (we had it here as well) might have been a sign meant to Brickset HQ all along XD"
Heatwaves are the best time to get preemptively festive! Years back, during the height of a bad heatwave, the town I live in set out the "Snow Removal Tonight" signs around our central park. Considering that was at least a decade ago now, and I still remember it fondly, I say they did something right!
That aside, thanks for the set review, Huw. I get on my tangents and don't say that often enough. Plus, I hadn't even heard of this until now. I may just have to pick it up before Christmas!
@Huw said:
" @AustinPowers said:
" @Huw said:
" @FARLANDER said:
"The dirty oven tray gives more realism to the review.... mmmmhhhh"
Not dirt, but rust spots from being in the dishwasher :-)"
Put a small ball of aluminium foil in the cutlery basket when using the dishwasher and you shouldn't have problems with that kind of rust again. Works a treat in our machine. "
Interesting, thanks, I'll try that!
"
How much for the tray?
@Huw said:
" @CCC said:
"These would have looked better using rounded tiles and / or plates to round off the ends of the arms and legs. Those square corners don't look very good. Either the oval tiles, or a 2x2 round plate with a half round tile on top."
You are right, and I'm pretty sure the 2x4 oval tile has been made in the right colour already."
Yeah, it was in the Winnie the Pooh set and also a couple of Mario sets. And it also comes in black to mimic the ones my daughter makes when she gets distracted by netflix.
I was wondering about the ice creams myself, if they were supposed to be belt/suspender buckles? These are cute, might make a nice add-in if I do another order any time soon.
@CCC said:
" @Huw said:
" @CCC said:
"These would have looked better using rounded tiles and / or plates to round off the ends of the arms and legs. Those square corners don't look very good. Either the oval tiles, or a 2x2 round plate with a half round tile on top."
You are right, and I'm pretty sure the 2x4 oval tile has been made in the right colour already."
Yeah, it was in the Winnie the Pooh set and also a couple of Mario sets. And it also comes in black to mimic the ones my daughter makes when she gets distracted by netflix.
"
Not just that, but they have been on at least one Pick a brick wall here in medium nougat, so they aren't exactly scarce from Lego.
@Binnekamp said:
"Man, and I thought Sinterklaas confectionaries (a Dutch holiday on December 5th) being in stores in August was early."
This year, I started seeing Halloween merch in stores as early as July, but it’s already September and I don’t think I’ve spotted any Christmas stuff in the wild. Yet.
@Huw said:
" @FARLANDER said:
"The dirty oven tray gives more realism to the review.... mmmmhhhh"
Not dirt, but rust spots from being in the dishwasher :-)"
I suspect it's actually a speckled finish - my brand new oven came with a set of them...
@Murdoch17 said:
"You say they aren't as tasty as real gingerbread... Did you actually taste them to say that?
If so, something is very, very wrong at Brickset towers."
Whats age limit brickset...
Think that's dangerous never do...
probably joke, kinda funny... I'm just worried someone might get hurt.
Let’s not forget the original LEGO Gingerbread Man Ornament (1699QXI2584) from 2020…
https://web.archive.org/web/20200920140232/https://www.hallmark.com/ornaments/keepsake-ornaments/lego-gingerbread-man-minifigure-ornament-1699QXI2584.html
@PurpleDave said:
" @Binnekamp said:
"Man, and I thought Sinterklaas confectionaries (a Dutch holiday on December 5th) being in stores in August was early."
This year, I started seeing Halloween merch in stores as early as July, but it’s already September and I don’t think I’ve spotted any Christmas stuff in the wild. Yet."
Costco has had stuff for a few weeks, now. Trees, lights, and Lego advent calendars.
@StyleCounselor:
I’m talking stuff like Monster cereals, other Halloween-themed cereal boxes, Halloween-themed Pringles, cookie kits that you decorate yourself, and so on. I do think it’s mostly been food items, so they may be trying to get the expiration dates closer to Halloween than Christmas.
Does anyone know if this comes with the pieces needed to make a tiny pair of gingerbread crutches? If the legs are tiles, I don't really see a way to "stitch" one back on with frosting, though.
@StyleCounselor:
So here's a weird question. I was shopping on the way home today, and saw a food item that was just Jack Skellington's head. Does that technically mean it's both a Halloween and Christmas item?
Hobby Lobby Started putting out their Christmas stuff at the same time as their fall merchandise. I think it was back in June. They are currently having 50% off their Christmas items but still only 40% off the Fall stuff. Meanwhile my Target was still selling Back to School items last week and just starting to put out the Halloween Candy but no sign of the rest of their Halloween merchandise. Walmarts are full on Halloween.