Review: 40484 Santa's Front Yard
Posted by Huw,
The gift with purchase at LEGO.com next weekend and the BFCM event the one after is 40484 Santa's Front Yard. It is most likely the first of two Christmas-themed GWPs, although details of a possible second one have yet to emerge.
With a footprint of 16x16 and over 300 pieces it's a substantial model, and quite different from previous Christmas GWPs.
Santa's 'front yard' consists of an icy stream running through a snowy landscape. Two 3D conifers stand in front of two dark green 2D ones silhouetted against a backdrop of a starry night and full moon. The effect is clever and quite atmospheric.
There's nothing to see at the back other than to note how the trees are built into it.
The scene is populated with a reindeer and an elf feeding it with a carrot. The animal is cleverly constructed with studs in all directions, including downwards. The instructions suggest giving him a black nose but with a spare red 1x1 round tile in the box it would be rude not to use it, particularly given that Rudolf has yet to officially appear in LEGO form.
The elf's torso was introduced last year in 10275 Elf Club House although in that set it was not paired with a red hat and red legs. In fact, I think this is the first time a red version of the combined hat/ear piece has appeared in a set, although it has been available in build-a-minifig bars in brand stores before.
Overall it's an attractive scene that I am sure will complement other Christmas decorations in your house, LEGO or otherwise.
It'll be a gift with purchases exceeding £170/$170/$170 at LEGO.com over the weekends of 20-21st and 26-29th November.
Thanks to LEGO for providing the set for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
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39 comments on this article
Ick
Would've been better with a moulded reindeer and no stickers imo (doesn't need prints either). Still pretty though, the stream and background are nice
Underwhelming for sure. It really doesn't make me want to rush out and spend $150.00
This would have been a great opportunity to provide another of the reindeer from Santa's Sleigh. Brick-built animals at this scale are not my cup of tea. That said, I will get this anyhow.
Nice little winter scene. I understand why some people prefer molded animals over brick built animals for a polished final presentation, but I always enjoy seeing how you can make good brick built animals from just a handful of standard parts.
LEGO.com USA has the threshold at $170 not $150. In Canada it’s $220.
Big snore, which is a shame because these holiday vignettes used to be a WV supplement to look forward to.
Photos of the front and back of the box?
@ghostmind said:
"LEGO.com USA has the threshold at $170 not $150. In Canada it’s $220."
Thanks. At the time writing I had to guess the thresholds. Seems I was a bit out, particularly with the UK one!
That purchase price is way too high. It's a cute set, but nothing that I "have to have," so I'm glad I have already purchased all my Holiday sets.
@Jersey_Brick_Guy said:
"Underwhelming for sure. It really doesn't make me want to rush out and spend $150.00"
you mean $170. They raised the spend this year!
@Huw said:
" @ghostmind said:
"LEGO.com USA has the threshold at $170 not $150. In Canada it’s $220."
Thanks. At the time writing I had to guess the thresholds. Seems I was a bit out, particularly with the UK one!"
question..... wondering what the statistical breakdown is, are these thresholds really getting out of hand or is this in normal inflation percentages? what were the GWP like say 10/15 years ago ( if any)
The set is cute. For the thresholds they've set, I would've expected something better. Unless you've been really holding out on something that fits the bill now, I don't see these GWPs as enough to push me to pickup something so far passed on (Bond car or Stranger Things for example). There also not any super unique pieces, so, given the instructions, I assume most of us could make it with spare parts.
Anyone have an estimate on resell value (wondering if it might help function as a discount instead of a freebie)? Think it could go as high as $40?
@SlimBrick1 said:
"What does GWP mean?
"
Gift with Purchase
I usually like the vignette-type sets, but I'm not really a fan of this one. It feels too clunky and thrown together.
The placement of the North Pole sign in relation with the reindeer is still not explained.
@Yooha said:
"The placement of the North Pole sign in relation with the reindeer is still not explained."
It's a sign. And a reindeer. Lego doesn't explain for randos making the same stupid joke over and over again.
Good review,
I was sure I hade seen a red rose before, but for now can only find this 2`003 polybag
https://brickset.com/sets/LJXMAS02-1/Reindeer
Or possibly the kid having swapped one on Santa workshop without me noticing in fact…
Another set to recreate using my own pieces as soon as the instructions become available. I don't care that I'll miss the minifigure and the stickers.
@sparrownest said:
"Good review,
I was sure I hade seen a red rose before, but for now can only find this 2`003 polybag
https://brickset.com/sets/LJXMAS02-1/Reindeer
Or possibly the kid having swapped one on Santa workshop without me noticing in fact…"
I replaced the baby reindeer’s nose with a red stud in that set.
Double points and an exclusive GWP with something I was going to buy anyway and can only get direct from Lego. Good deal IMO
Nice little set, and I prefer the brick built reindeer to the molded one... it's proper Lego. I tend to think all molded animals look a bit out of place in Lego sets.
And I think the £170 threshold is fine. It's a free little bonus when you buy a set that you were going to buy anyway. No £170 set you currently want? No problem. Buy the bricks for peanuts, and build something similar yourself.
Disappointing.
I actually like the concept of the moon and star stickers. Shame the moon tile wasn't printed, that might've been neat.
It sucks
Printing the moon tile would have been a nice touch but it isn't necessary IMO. I'd be tempted to bricklink this but the red hat with ears is tempting--and yes, I have sets on my wish list I actually plan to get that would easily clear the spending limit, so that's not a problem. Yes, spending limits have increased, but so have the details on the GWPs (at least IMO) so I'm not fussed about it as much as I might be. The amount I can spare to spend on Lego has also risen in line with inflation, if not faster.
Don't have a spare 2000 points at the moment (just spent lots for some discount cash) but my record on getting sets via VIP purchase is abysmal, so I really hope they put the directions online so I can bricklink the antique camera, which looks cute but not overly dependent on rare pieces.
@SlimBrick1 said:
"What does GWP mean?
"
Go Wild, People!
Oh…thought you meant “What does it mean…at my house?” :)
@CDM:
Then they should be more careful where they point that thing, don’t you think?
@DavidBrick said:
"They raised it from $150 to $170 and made the weakest winter freebie ever.
In 2018, only three years ago I think it was raised to $120. 2017 was $99. This is out of control.
Which is fine, LEGO will just lose my business."
We'll be happy to see you go. Fewer complaints about free stuff.
Spending threshold seems to be in line with the size of the set. I'd put a value of £18.50 on the GWP set, which is more than 10% of the threshold. It's a pity the set I was going to get to put me over the limit had just sold out and there's nothing else I want right now to put me back over.
@Nytmare said:
" @DavidBrick said:
"They raised it from $150 to $170 and made the weakest winter freebie ever.
In 2018, only three years ago I think it was raised to $120. 2017 was $99. This is out of control.
Which is fine, LEGO will just lose my business."
We'll be happy to see you go. Fewer complaints about free stuff."
Just for the record, or for anyone who like @Nytmare doesn't understand how GWPs work: there is nothing like a free lunch.
True, you get the GWP "for free", but in order to do so you have to buy from LEGO directly, where contrary to everywhere else you don't get the usual discounts of between 20 and 50 percent, depending on the set. If you're lucky you might get double VIP points that equal 10 percent, but even that is only on special occasions.
So, say you buy a 200 USD/Euro set from LEGO directly and get the GWP "for free" while someone else bought the same set at an independent retailer for 30 percent off. Even if you got double VIP points the other person still does 20 percent or 40 USD/Euro better. For the amount saved he can buy the GWP on the secondary market and still have money left over.
Gist: GWPs are not free. You are just tricked into believing they were.
For me the GWPs are always just a nice little bonus to get alongside any Lego sets I would have bought anyway. I don't go out my way to buy any extra sets just to get the GWP, and certainly not sets I could get heavily discounted elsewhere, so the increased threshold doesn't really bother me. I either spend enough and get it or I don't.
On the model itself this is certainly one of the weaker ones from recent years - I can't tell if it's the clunky reindeer or the two types of tree which don't match but the vignette just lacks a little something. Probably doesn't help that Charles Dickens is back (again) and I definitely far prefer it compared to this.
Not very attractive, especially compared with previous Christmas GWP sets.
I preferred the GWP set of the coffee van of this week and I bought enough to get it!! Still waiting for the second GWP of these Christmas to buy the 10293 Santa's Visit!!
@SlimBrick1 said:
"What does GWP mean?
"
It means you will have to ask your browser.
If this is Santa's 'Front Yard', I'd hate imagine his 'Back 40'...probably where Krampas resides...:)
I like this small set (and I prefer brick build animals too :D ) and it would have been a nice addition acquiring the last Winter Village set but, to get it, it seems I should buy two of them. That's Why I think that a 100€ threshold would be adequate.
With the present threshold I probably will buy the Winter Village set elsewhere with some discount or I will wait for better times.
"There's nothing to see at the back other than to note how the trees are built into it."
AND it shows the 50 shades of blue! ;-)
@Yooha said:
"The placement of the North Pole sign in relation with the reindeer is still not explained."
LOL! That is EXACTLY what I was thinking when I built it! I do LOVE this little set, though.
Agree about the threshold; but it IS free. I would be throwing money at LEGO regardless of GWP (I hope they don't read this - haha). Therefore, it is free as I don't pay anything more than I normally would; no extra shipping cost, no extra tax cost, just a free item.