Seasonal Archives | Page 17 of 20

LEGO Offers Seasonal Chinese New Year Set in the US with Year of the Dog (40235).

Hey, we’re now two days into the year 2018 – at least in the Western or Gregorian calendar sense. To those who observe or at least join in with the celebration of the Chinese New Year, it won’t be until February 16 next month for the Year of the Earth Dog.

Leave it to LEGO to prove itself as a truly international brand by including a seasonal brick set to celebrate the new Dog Year. The 2018 Seasonal Year of the Dog (40235) depicts a smiling brown and white dog sitting at attention with its red tongue visible and tail wagging.

This seasonal consideration was started by LEGO back in 2013, when they announced building its first factory in China, geared to their Asian market. That had been the Year of the Snake (10250). Since then, Sheep (40148), Monkey (40207) and Rooster (40234) have gotten Seasonal sets of their own, and Dog (40235) won’t be long coming.

Originally available in Asian LEGO Stores, Seasonal Year of the Dog (40235) is going to be the first to be offered internationally, with one free for every minimum LEGO purchase of $88. The number 88 represents fortune and good luck in Chinese culture. It’s an appropriately symbolic promo price limit.

If you or anybody you know was born in the Year of the Dog (2006, 1994, 1982, 1970) then the LEGO Seasonal Year of the Dog (40235) will make for a wonderful Chinese New Year gift. The set is available from February 16 – Chinese New Year – to the 28^th.

First Details from 2018 February LEGO Store Calendar Revealed.

It’s never been too early to plan for tomorrow, or the next month. Just as LEGO kicked off their 2018 Store Calendar last December of the recently-concluded year of 2017, so now in January of 2018 their schedule of LEGO store activities for February has just been put up online.

The Brick Fan has gotten the first images of the February page for the 2018 LEGO Store Calendar, and given us this rundown of what to expect in terms of special promos and seasonal treats. Some of the listed freebies and events also carry over from their beginnings last January.

January 19 – February 13: LEGO City Mining Play Event, still ongoing at LEGO Stores until the day before Valentine’s.

January 28 – February 14: Free 60 Years of the LEGO Brick (40290) with a purchase of $125 or more. The giveaway ends this month, or while supplies still last.

February 6 – 7: LEGO VIP Monthly Mini Model Build – Car and Gas Pump, available to LEGO VIP members.
February 14: Free LEGO Friends Sunflower with a product purchase of $20 or more. Like the 60 Years of the LEGO Brick (40290), this is only for while supplies last.
February 14 – March 4: Our next LEGO City Event at LEGO Stores, the Mountain Police Building.

February 15: For grownup LEGO enthusiasts, there’s an Adults-Only Valentine Themed Building Night at LEGO Stores on this date. All interested participants need to register for the event.
February 16 – 28: Celebrate the Chinese Zodiac’s Year of the Earth Dog LEGO-style by getting a free LEGO Seasonal Year of the Dog (40235) with a purchase of $88 or more. This too has limited supplies so act fast. However, you may also opt to build one of your own since the building instructions for this set has already been released.

February 17 & 24: LEGO Life Meeting

LEGO will follow up their image uploads of the February 2018 Store Calendar with a PDF version soon. We will bring you any additional details about this update as soon as it’s made available.

LEGO UK Offers Pick-a-Brick Box at shop.LEGO.com In Line With Boxing Day 2017.

Tuesday, December 26, is the day after Christmas. Over in the UK, it’s also Boxing Day, the “other” day of gift-giving for them and other countries that were part of the British Empire of old. Speaking of gifts, LEGO has some presents to give away at that side of the Atlantic as well.

And this is one of the most generous giveaways you could ever avail of in a whole year of LEGO promos. For Boxing Day, every LEGO set bought from shop.LEGO.com in the UK, France and Germany will entitle the buyer to one free Pick-a-Brick box with their purchase.

These Pick-a-Brick boxes come into play the following year, as from January 1 to March 31 of 2018, they can bring the box they received to their local LEGO store to be filled up with their choice of LEGO building elements like bricks and so forth. The only exceptions are minifigures, keychains and similar accessories.

Boxing Day 2017 is the first time that the Pick-a-Brick box has been made available for online LEGO shoppers. And they potentially would not have to spend more than the usual set prices to get one, what with the nifty discount rates being offered for particular LEGO sets on December 26.

LEGO Star Wars Sets for Summer 2018 Teased

We’re almost halfway through the last week of December, before 2017 gives way to 2018. Our past reports here on The Brick Show are more than enough proof to LEGO fans that our good old brick, model and minifigure company isn’t held back by words like “next year” when announcing new products.

This is easily seen in the recent word that’s come out on some new LEGO Star Wars set releases scheduled for summer of next year. The interesting thing is that apparently, LEGO’s Summer 2018 batch appears to be updated versions of existing models that have already been released in years past.

Here’s a list of what LEGO Star Wars collectors can expect a few months from now:

Jedi & Clone Troopers Battle Pack (75206)
Anakin’s Jedi Starfighter (75214) – includes Anakin Skywalker and R2-D2 minifigures
X-Wing Starfighter (75218) – includes 2 pilots and 2 astromech droid minifigures
Sandcrawler (75220) – includes minifigures Luke Skywalker, 2 Jawas, 3 droids
Super Battle Droid (75538)
501st Legion Clone Trooper & AT-RT Walker (75539)
Star Wars 2018 Advent Calendar (75213)

The last three items are notable as the Super Battle Droid (75538) and the 501st Legion Clone Trooper & AT-RT Walker (75539) are new sets without prior versions.

And next year’s Star Wars Advent Calendar sure is coming early. There’s even an early box image with hints as to what micros and minifigures are in store. All three trilogy sets are well-represented with a Prequel-era Naboo star-fighter, Original-era Tatooine land-speeder and Sequel-era character Rose Tico. Get hyped now.

Merry Christmas! Last Segment of LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar 2017 Updates

UPDATE: Thanks are in order to Bricket’s CapnRex101 for sharing the following images.

Well, here we are on the big day itself: December 24, the last day covered by the LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar for this year (set 75184). This update will complete our blurb coverage on all the micro-models and minifigures we’ve been getting for every day of the 2017 version. Let’s finish up.

Day 19: TIE Striker – Seen in action during Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. This sleek Imperial TIE fighter-craft variant also got a full LEGO model version in set 75154. The advent micro-version is servicable, although the scaling of dimensions is iffy, especially with the fuselage. Still good though.

Day 20: TX-225 GAVw Hover Tank – Another Rogue One Imperial vehicle, an armored fighting machine that’s not a walker for a change. It’s a fairly good micro conversion of the regular LEGO Star Wars set (75152).

Day 21: Imperial technician Kent Deezling – A Rogue One bit character, his minifigure is actually part of the regular TIE Striker LEGO set (75154). As before, he’s got a blaster and helmet covering a transceiver-wearing face.

Day 22: Star Wars Speeder Sleigh – The Big Day is ever so near, so here’s a holiday sleigh with Christmas goodies, but set in the Star Wars galaxy, making it a speeder with engines. Pretty cheeky.

Day 23: AT-ST – We can’t really place this one vehicle in a specific film; it could be Rogue One, or Return of the Jedi, or even The Last Jedi which premiered this month. It’s irrelevant though; the Imperial AT-ST has always been a favorite, whether the regular LEGO set (75153) or this micro version.

Day 24: Santa BB-8 – What a way to wrap up the Star Wars Advent countdown this year. The Santa figure this time around is Poe Dameron’s personal astro-mech droid – and breakout character of the Star Wars sequel trilogy – the roly-poly cute (and self-aware of it) BB-8.

Before we sign off, I have to come clean with an erratum for our previous 2017 Advent Calendar update post, the penultimate in the series. Eagle eyes would note that the actual Day 18 surprise for this year is a micro Y-Wing bomber. That has been fixed.

And with that, our advent countdown in the company of LEGO Star Wars is complete. Thank your for staying with our reports all the way. Merry Christmas to All!

Penultimate LEGO Star Wars 2017 Advent Calendar (75184) Collectibles Close-Up

Three updates covering twelve days have passed, and so too the premiere of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Now we will have our look-see at the next few items to pop out of the LEGO Star Wars 2017 Advent Calendar (75184). This is our fourth segment of reveals, but so as to really hurry things along, this update puts the spotlight on six days, 13 to 18.

Day 13: First Order Snowspeeder – alternatively called the Light Infantry Utility Vehicle. You’d be forgiven for not recognizing it if you’d only seen the films on cinemas; it was on a deleted scene from The Force Awakens. Watch the digital versions or play Star Wars Battlefront II to see it in action. The FO Snowspeeder also has a LEGO model (75216). This micro-version can fit a minifigure, but just barely.

Day 14: First Order Snow-trooper – Briefly seen in The Force Awakens stationed at the First Order “homeworld” of Starkiller Base. Fairly basic Stormtrooper minifig setup (helm, Clone trooper face); he has no weapons either because the Snowspeeder (day before) is already armed.

Day 15: First Order Snow-blower – Just in case you forget that it’s Christmas, here’s a First Order-issue snow-blower for Snow-troopers to use in clearing paths throughout the snowy terrain of Starkiller Base. Give it to the Day 14 trooper if he’s not on the snow-speeder.

Day 16: Director Krennic’s T-3c Imperial Shuttle – from the Sequel Trilogy we go back in time to Rogue One. The Imperial “upside-down Y” shuttles were sleek enough, but Director Krennic’s black number (with folding wing action) is really intimidating. No room for minifigs.

Day 17: Imperial Officer – Apparently Officer minifigures from the Galactic Empire era (Episodes IV-VI) are not that common, so this is a welcome addition to minifig collectors. He even has a blaster.

Day 18: Y-Wing Bomber – We tend to recall the Y-Wings as the Rebel star-fighters that tried (and failed) to bomb the heck of the original Death Star in the first Star Wars film, A New Hope. Unsuccessful they may have been, but nobody can knock the aerospace design of the Y-Wing. It’s even got a LEGO set of its own, numbered 75172.

With these, we have only one update left to complete the 24 Days of Advent as interpreted by the LEGO Star Wars 2017 Advent Calendar (75184). Please bear with us for one last update on Christmas Eve itself; until then.

Before we sign off, we would like to express our gratitude to Brickset for sharing the following images.

Love Is In The Air With These Latest LEGO Seasonal (40187) and Wedding Souvenir (40197) Sets.

We’re not past Christmas yet, but it seems that LEGO is already setting up the mood for all love-struck AFOLs out there. LEGO has recently uploaded official images of the new seasonal and souvenir sets via its servers, and we now have our first look at the LEGO Valentine’s Day Seasonal Flowers (40187), and the Wedding Favor (40197) sets.

At 100 pieces, the Valentine’s Day Flowers (40187) is expected to retail for $10 and may also come for free when you purchase any LEGO sets from February 7 to 14, 2018 together with the LEGO Wall Calendar’s Voucher #2. Though I like the idea of brick-built flowers as a gift for your special someone, I do hope that LEGO will continue the release of its seasonal vignettes similar to this year. I would love to see a redesign of the Romantic Valentine Picnic (40236) for that matter.

LEGO Seasonal Valentine’s Day Flowers (40187)

The LEGO Wedding Favor (40197) set comes in at 132 pieces, and is by far the best designed iteration of this souvenir. LEGO released two wedding giveaways prior to set 40197, with the first released in 2011 with the Minifigure Wedding Favor Set (853340) and again just last year with a rehash of the Minifigure Wedding set (40165). The latest version is a welcomed one since it incorporates more details and accessories for the minifigures. It is expected to retail for $10 as well.

LEGO Wedding Favor Set (40197)

We’ll keep you posted when this will be available, but my best guess is sometime during the second half of January. Thanks to our friends from Bouw Steentjes for the tip.

In Lieu of The LEGO Star Wars Darth Vader Pod (5005376), shop.LEGO.com Has Some VIP Points Specials.

Had things been different today, December 15, then this day would have marked the beginning of the now cancelled promotional period for the LEGO Star Wars Darth Vader Metalized Pod (5005376) supposedly as a free gift with purchase of any LEGO Star Wars item worth $60 and above. We reported last week that the whole thing is off, owing to quality control issues with the Darth Vader pods that The LEGO Group did not elaborate on.

Perhaps that’s why shop.LEGO.com opted to roll out special VIP point offers instead, and they’re different depending on which side of the Atlantic it is. For US and Canada, shop.LEGO.com is giving each VIP member 100 extra points whenever they buy a LEGO Star Wars set. Accessories like keychains and non-set items like LEGO books are not included here. This promo lasts from the 15^th to Christmas Eve, December 24.

In Europe, including the UK, France and Germany, it’s a little bit simpler. Their VIP points earned when buying LEGO products are doubled. The only con is that it lasts only from December 15 to 17, on Sunday.

These are not the sought-after Darth Vader Pod (5005375), but it’s still something.

A Closer Look at the 2017 LEGO Employee Gift Nutcracker (4002017).

Last week, we caught a glimpse of this year’s LEGO Employee Gift which is exclusively given to all LEGO Brand Store employees at this time of the year. This year, LEGO opted for a more holiday vibe with its complementary set, LEGO Store Employee Gift Nutcracker (4002017). I also remember saying in that post that this particular holiday gift set is probably the least attractive of all the employee gifts that LEGO has released thus far. However, after seeing several unboxing images from AFOL Bartlett via Chinese internet media giant, Sohu.com, I felt that corrections are in order. I am glad that I was wrong with my initial impression since I never had the chance to see the actual set built nor tried out – I just based my comments on its rather unsightly box art.

Thanks to these images shared by Bartlett, we now have a better appreciation of this latest LEGO Store Employee Gift. If you wish to see a full account of how the set is build – from it’s unboxing to the set’s play features – just head over to Bartlett’s post over at Sohu. Just don’t forget to use Google Translate to have a better idea on the finer details of this Nutcracker set. Credit goes to Bartlett for sharing these images, and to Ms. Norma Fernandes for sharing the clip below via Instagram.

The 2017 LEGO Employee Gift Nutcracker (4002017) box as compared to other sets.

An inside look at the box’s contents and building instructions.

The Nutcracker (40002017) set completely built, including an exclusive 2×4 printed tile.

The entire range of LEGO Nutcracker sets so far.

Putting the Nutcracker together was super fun 🤪 #Being a kid #Making it count #living it up ❤️

A post shared by Norma Fernandes (@normafernandes) on Dec 10, 2017 at 2:22pm PST

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

Halfway There: Days 9-12 of LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar (75184)

Whoops, we appear to be slipping in schedule. I should’ve posted the third digest of mini-goodies from the LEGO Star Wars 2017 Advent Calendar (75184) yesterday. But better late than never, so now we’re going to have a look at what models and minifigures were revealed from Day 9 to Day 12.

Day 9: Rey’s Speeder – I remember back when teasers for The Force Awakens were still rather new in 2014, and aside from the shot of BB-8 rolling across the sands full throttle, I was also impressed by a segment showing the Jakku scavenger later identified as Rey (Daisy Ridley) scooting off in her massive motorcycle-type speeder. She looked so small compared to its forward section. Anyway, LEGO does have a full-scale model set of the speeder (75099), so this mini-model is a budget option for those who missed getting that. It’s too small for minifigures, though.

Day 10: Jakku Scavenger – Well, Rey wasn’t the only one in Jakku poking through all those star destroyer wrecks. Here’s one of those many other scrappers working the barren planet, whom Rey does business with. The desert gear goes with the cool facemask, but that wooden crook looks incongruous.

Day 11: Luggabeast – If you’re wondering what else to do with the scavenger from Day 10, then here’s your answer. The luggabeast is a weird cyborg mount and beast of burden that’s somewhat common in worlds like Jakku. Rey’s had scenes in The Force Awakens interacting with scavengers on luggabeasts, before the start of the great adventure.

Day 12: Millennium Falcon – Didn’t we cover this before in micro-foil form? Indeed, the most iconic spaceship in the whole Star Wars franchise gets yet another micro-model take for this advent calendar. It’s nothing collectors haven’t seen before, but Han Solo’s just never gets old.

After careful consideration, I’ve decided to wait until Day 18 for the next digest of reveals for the LEGO Star Wars 2017 Advent Calendar (75184). That’s 6 days’ worth of new stuff to cover, and the next digest after that should be the last one, showcasing the remaining minis all the way to Day 24, Christmas Eve. I’ll see you then, after the premiere of The Last Jedi on Friday.