Review: 40125 Santa’s Visit
Posted by MeganL,
With the last seasonal set of the year, we take a look at a most appropriate scene, 40125, Santa’s Visit. Again thanks to Huw for the pictures to my colour commentary.
This vignette is the stuff of many childhood dreams – the time when Santa visits on Christmas Eve and enjoys the cookies and milk left out for him by the hopeful children of the household. The only witness to this scene is the household’s cat.
The box contains three unnumbered bags, two tan 4x8 plates and an instruction booklet.
Minifig
The only minifigure in this set is Santa. The aforementioned tabby cat is also present in dark brown with rather nice markings. Santa comes with a handheld bag of toys, which while it’s very portable for Santa, I imagine he has to go back to his sleigh many times to refill for all the visits he makes on Christmas Eve. Santa’s torso is one we have seen in several Advent Calendars as well as last year’s Santa’s Workshop. The tabby is relatively new, having only been seen before in two sets from earlier this year.
Vignette
Like most vignettes, the build is straightforward. The first part builds the floor (accented with a couple of nice blue and sand green tiles for a hearth rug) as well as the fireplace, wall and chimney. While there is no detail on the outside of the wall, the placing of several textured bricks makes for an interesting looking chimney on the back.
There are a few decorations on the wall. A wreath adorns the top of the chimney wall, with two cheerful stockings just below. A colourful bottle is on top of the mantle. Next to the fireplace are some tools for attending to the roaring fire in the fireplace. (Though if Santa comes down the chimney, and the fire’s burning, isn’t that a little toasty for Santa?)
After building the wall, next comes a festively coloured, very comfortable looking armchair. The armchair is placed on a swivel so Santa can either turn toward or away from the fire while enjoying his cookies. A small table is set in front of the armchair complete with the plate of cookies plus room for a mug – everything needed for Santa to make himself comfortable during his break.
The last part of the build is a very cute Christmas tree. There have been a number of different ways a Christmas tree has been constructed in recent years, and I rather like this one. It’s adorned with several colourful lights, a star at the top, and a tree skirt.
Overall thoughts/verdict
In constructing a beloved childhood dream, I think this is a good set for catching Santa in this moment of solitude. There is a nice level of detail in the room, and I can’t think of anything missing from the scene, except perhaps for a couple of presents under the tree. That can be easily remedied by extras in just about anyone’s collection (for me, it’s borrowing from previous Advent calendars). The tabby cat is a nice addition.
While there are no particularly rare parts that I noticed, I think it’s worth picking up this set. It makes for a great stocking stuffer for kids (and grown-ups).
[Huw's note: Once again I apologise for the white cat hairs in some of the photos! My white and tabby cat has a habit of jumping up onto my build table when she wants attention or feeding, resulting in fine hairs all over it which then get between bricks when I'm building!]
Verdict on this year's seasonal sets (by Huw)
A series of sets celebrating different events or seasons has become a mainstay of the LEGO release schedule over the last few years. They are often among the highlights of the annual output and are certainly very collectable. This year's series of six vignettes has been a bit of a mixed bag: some are excellent and some not so. In fact, the split between the good and the bad is straightforward: the four indoor scenes are superb, the two outdoor ones are less so. I was going to try and pick a favourite but actually the Valentine's, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas ones are all pretty much equal: heartwarming scenes full of detail and life. I can't wait to see what LEGO has in store for us for 2016!
Video review
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24 comments on this article
Nice review (though I think the cat is dark orange rather than dark brown - equally cute either way ;-) ).
This is a great little set. The fireplace/chimney, tree and chair are all spot-on, and the added details just finish it off. The Santa minifig that we have nowadays could only be improved upon in my opinion by the addition of some black boots.
^ black boots would be great, I am sure with the latest half printing (or however you call that) they could manage this...
Thanks for the review Megan, I like this one a lot, nice and cosy :-)
Well, those extra trips to his sleigh help keep him slim (like all other LEGO figures). Shouldn't they have made a Bombur-esque piece for Santa to make his belly shake like jelly?
As for the set, I think this is better than the other one too. It seems to capture a visit from Santa quite well. Although, not only is he eating my cookies and breaking and entering into my house, he lounges in my favorite chair?! The nerve of some people.
Thanks for the review. I'll likely find this one sometime.
When is the Gingerbread House promotion starting in the UK?
Rebrickable says I already have all the parts :-)
With the lack of new Seasonal set this year I may put this together and/or dress up my modulars with decks.
My only problem with this set is the stockings. A minifigure sock would look like a 1x1 or 1x2, no?
But I guess it just wouldn't look the same...
@ Huw
Ah, Tiggy sounds just like my pet bunny- he'll jump on anything just for fun, and particularly likes to check out piles of LEGO bricks. :)
Pretty good set. I like the overall look of the fireplace, and I can understand why it would make a great stocking stuffer. I wouldn't mind a stocking full of these, to be honest.
@ lastzodiac: In about two weeks' time, I think.
@SprinkleOtter
About the socks: I know everyone does Christmas a little different in their homes, but in my house our stockings are HUGE... much more room for treats and little presents to be stuffed in (stocking stuffers). So it made complete sense to me that the stockings looked the way they did in this set.
Overall looks like a heartwarming set. Great review and great pictures guys and gals! Thanks!
Hahaha, after reading Huw's apology note, I went back to scrutinise all the photos to spot the cat hairs. :D I love this set, it's a delightful representation of a classic cosy Christmas. :)
@ quietman
Yeah, same here- I could fit my stocking over a winter boot with room to spare.
I just think the shape is funny- a minifig's foot is almost the same size as his leg, not twice as wide.
Great review! Compared to the other seasonal sets from this year, I would rate it a notch below Valentines Day, Easter and Thanksgiving just because it only contains 1 minifig which we have seen many times before in the last couple years (Series 8, Santa's Workshop and advent calendar). The scenery is nice, which elevates it above the outdoor sets, but it would have been nice if Lego had included the red sack (instead of brown) and the green toilet seat piece for the wreath. Not sure if I will pick it up, but it is a good set for providing inspiration for my own builds.
@LostinTranslation - yes, I think you're right. Definitely more orange than brown!
@Huw - now you'll make me feel better about any pictures that I take that have dog hair in them. That's almost my biggest "problem" in building - i have two black and white dogs, and they are very jealous of the attention LEGO gets instead of them - hence my finished buiilds almost always have white dog hair trapped between bricks :-) I share your opinions on the vignettes in general - the indoor ones have been great, the outdoors not so much.
@NBJMarks - Thanks mate!
@ lastzodiac: No problem, I can confirm (after looking at my LEGO.com offers documents) that it begins on the 27th. :)
This is probably my favorite out of all the holiday vignettes.
And btw, cute cat. I have a calico too!
Thank you, now I've learned another US word: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calico_cat :-)
This sets makes you feel all nostalgic, remembering back to your childhood, when you would bake the cookies and or buy the best biscuits for Santa. Reminding your dad that Santa only likes the good whiskey and none of the cheap shops own brand rubbish as he would leave bad presents. This is a lovely little build and its quite similar to that of a few years ago that we got for spending 50 pounds before Christmas. although that scene had two walls. You got a santa claus and then the fireplace was in the corner between the two walks, the other set was a young kid by the tree, i think it was in 2011. I have enjoyed all the seasonal sets this year.
This is a great little set. I especially like the simplicity of the tree, somehow the opaque stud ornaments instead of the often-used translucent tiles look very "classic" Lego.
Overall, the seasonal sets were fantastic this year. Last years cutesy animals left a lot to be desired, I'm curious what we'll see next year!
Headlight brick in green? Oo....
Love it. Nice review. Just got word that my winter seasonal vignettes have shipped, so can't wait to get and build these and display them.
Headlight bricks in green have been on Pick a Brick walls, so are now very common.
This is a great little set. I like all the Lego seasonal vignettes. Wonderful review, too, well written. Thanks!
Why is this set missing on the lego website??