Review: 40368 Christmas Accessories
Posted by Huw,
40368 Christmas Accessories is the seventh in the range of Xtra polybags, which provide a useful selection of bits and pieces with which you can enhance other models.
This one contains a range of parts to pimp up your minifig or model for the holiday season.
There are 32 pieces inside, a few of which combine to build some mini models, while the others can be added to anything you like.
None or particularly rare, or that desirable, to be honest, but there might be something that you'll find a use for. Perhaps you're looking for a beanie and showshoes to kit out your favourite minifigure for the winter. If so, you'll find them here.
Talking of minifigs, it's a shame that one isn't included. It would make it far more desirable. Nevertheless, at £2.99 it's a nice little impulse buy next time you're in a brand store.
There's not much more I can say about the set so I'll talk about the photo.
A while ago I was discussing LEGO photography with Peter Reid, of 21109 Exo Suit and LEGO Space:Building the Future book fame, and he mentioned an expression which has stuck with me ever since and which I think of every time I take a photo like this.
It's 'eggs and beans'.
Why? Well, apparently the story goes that his mother, I think it was, didn't like the eggs to be touching the beans on her plate of full English breakfast. In other words, for best results in photos like this, the individual elements shouldn't be overlapping each other in the frame. "Eggs and beans, Huw, eggs and beans..."
I suspect it will stick with you too, now...
Anyway, you can buy the polybag now at LEGO.com should you not be close to a brand store.
Thanks to LEGO for providing the set for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
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23 comments on this article
The English Breakfast story makes sense, in regards to a parts pack like this.
Great job!
Gold fences! White leaves! Small pine tree! Husky! I hope to buy this set, although I'm not able to get to a Lego store, I don't want to have to pay for shipping, and I don't have the money to buy enough stuff to get free shipping. Hopefully they'll have a free shipping on all orders deal like they did last year so that I can get it.
Interesting to see a blue transparent snowflake in the set; I was expecting a green one after seeing the packaging.
So where's the Halloween set?
I'm really hoping that this is the kick-off for seasonal sets.
I usually get two of each of the Xtra parts packs, but I'm just not feeling it with this.
Now, imagine some of the black fencing, a jack o' lantern maybe a bat, and a ghost costume? A scary autumn tree could complete the set.
Do Halloween already!
Beans for breakfast, or any meal otherwise... picky kid says "no!" These little Extras sets are delightful for any time of day though :)
This set is fairly disappointing. If you're a City fan but don't have many winter sets, this is probably a nice add to winter-up your city. But if you've been collecting Winter Village sets or other seasonal sets, you already have more snowmen and gift boxes than you know what to do with. What would have been really helpful would have been more white leaves (1 is not enough to make any interesting plant), more white pieces in general (for "wintering" a normal set), or a more interesting toy micro-build.
I originally din't have much interest in the Xtra line, but after seeing some of what it entails, I may look into it a bit more.
Bought this yesterday and am basically satisfied with it. The best part must be the dog. The giant candy, however, reminds me of the dreaded Friends advent calenders. There's something that could have been done better: A white or marbled white tree would have made this more moody and a real reason to buy the pack. Also, the packaging suggests that the trans-light blue parts were rather trans-sea green. That would be a thing! Why doesn't LEGO offer that color?
Should have had the new (-ish) scarf piece in it, instead of recycling those silly snowshoes.
In other news, they seem to have finally re-issued the sticker set...
I actually need a beanie so that's good. Nice to get another huskie and the ornate fences are useful too. Also like the white foliage piece but I don't know what I could do with only one.
is this the first time use of the term "pimp" on brickset LOL
I,m glad lego introduced these Xtra polybag sets I have two of the previous ones, I might get this festive packet too just wish they,d done a Halloween one hopefully we,ll get an Easter and for the USA a thanks giving one too next year...
I've mostly bought this for the dog and the fence parts. Haven't opened it yet though
The gold fences and white leaves are what makes this set. That said, 4 pieces does not warrant paying $3.99. As was said already, if you are new to Winter sets then this is much more desirable, but if you have been collecting awhile you already have this stuff.
But these sets do work great when you need to cross the threshold for a GWP or something.
Definitely a missed opportunity to add more useful and less common Christmas accessories, such as the scarf and the spruce in half-white, half green that was included in some sets several years ago.
For me, it's an easy pass unless it goes on clearance.
Pete gave me the same advice, and yes, it's stuck with me!
Not bad overall but the gate pieces seem quite unnecessary and also the blue hat and sack is odd why not include a Santa minifig. The white leaf piece with the studs on it is also unnecessary. The best parts of the pack are the husky and snowflake piece.
I gotta be honest, I quite like the snowman. I think he's one of the better examples they've given us, the last couple of years.
I'm mostly just interested in this pack because it seems like a cheap way to get my favourite dog breed in Lego form...
I get the 'eggs and beans' story but I think it's not always the best approach. Your photo is actually a good example: with the white parts on an off-white background, some overlap would have made the white parts stand out more. As it is now, some contours of the white parts are difficult to distinguish.
Was expecting a turquoise snowflake when I first saw the poly bag art. But, meh. Fairly common parts throughout, with an incomplete vision for making it exciting enough to over-compensate for that shortcoming.
is that new printing on the huskie?
Now I think I'd rather get a few of these than the advent calendar this year. But I'm a sucker for a tree piece and a husky anyday