10245 Santa's Workshop: Press Release

[FatalT 71]

Take my money! Christmas is my favorite holiday, and this set is exactly what I've wanted for a holiday display/decoration. I will be buying this ASAP.

[Sir Walter Maugham]

Oh, this looks like a nice set. But fairly lackluster when compared to the previous Winter Village sets.

Is that the the Fabuland sign part in black? I've wanted that part in that color for quite a while.

I see one of those elves is going to be on the naughty list. I don't think Santa looks kindly upon arson.

Edited August 11, 2014 by Sir Walter Maugham

[bjorkan]

This will be something I buy to keep for the kids, when they get older. :)

and I will buy for myself, in a case of miracle to become younger

[Klaus-Dieter]

Thank you very much for the press release, Rufus!

In contrast to the majority of opinions already posted here, I have to say that I really dislike this set! :thumbdown:

Pro:

+ nice exterior design

+ toy machine

Con:

- too expensive for what you get and how it looks like

- the idea of a Santa's Workshop at all

- too kitschy

- doesn't fit inside a Winter Village since it's unrealistic with that elves

- rein-deers are brick-built

- no place inside to put the toy machine somewhere

- nearly no interior

If the set at least included a nice interior (a small kitchen for Santa's wife to bake the cookies and a huge table for Santa) then there would be the chance that I'd buy this set. But since this isn't the case, I won't buy this set. And that is really disappointing since the Winter set is the set every year I'm always the most looking forward to!

Let's hope that next year's Winter Village set will be a lot better than this one!

Klaus-Dieter

Edited August 11, 2014 by Klaus-Dieter

[(1)Stein]

-cut-

- the idea of a Santa's Workshop at all

- too kitschy

- doesn't fit inside a Winter Village since it's unrealistic with that elves

-cut-

Klaus-Dieter

Actually I think this set will make a great train station for those people who where lucky enough to buy the Holiday Train in 2006/7

you just leave Santa and the elves out! and add some Minifigures for the train and station.

[lomis]

Official Pictures

All pictures are clickable for high-resolution images

The third picture down (of the rear of the building) cannot be clicked for the high-res pic.

[alois]

Con:

- too kitschy

Isn't that the whole point of the Winter Village series?

[Hive]

While sharing the critique voices by Klaus-Dieter, I'll be getting this set - as my girlfriend and I have decided to begin collect these sets as a part of a new annual tradition, using them as our special Christmas garnish instead of all the usual stuff. But I am dissapointed that it's not as good as the ones from previous years, and I hope that I can get a few of those still at reasonable prices.

[(1)Stein]

The third picture down (of the rear of the building) cannot be clicked for the high-res pic.

I found a really large version here!

[lomis]

I found a really large version here!

Is grogall back?

[(1)Stein]

Is grogall back?

That link doesn't work! Don't have permission to do that??? who?

[lomis]

Grogall is a user that used to post official high-res images and information for some sets.

If you look in the Brickshelf link you provided - that's his gallery.

I haven't seen anything new in that gallery for a while (since late 2013?) and he hasn't posted on Eurobricks since last October.

[ritzcrackerman]

In Marcos I trust - I am glad to hear he's already been elevated to Senior LEGO designer, as his work has been top-notch thus far.

This set (unfortunately) kind of makes me feel like the suits at LEGO got too involved with costing/budgeting. It recycles far too many elements/designs with only a few little gems to make you feel like you're getting something new/unique - but a couple of design choices make you feel like LEGO cheaped out:

1) All the elves' torsos have been repeated ad nauseum in other sets

2) He we got a new skirt print for Mrs. Claus, but a re-hash of the torso

3) Clock face re-use is nice for the parts resellers, but it is way too large for the size of the building

4) Why did they use yellow 1x1 modified clips for the holiday lights...? Should have been white, or maybe green

5) Happy to see the re-use of cookies (the candy spiral from the holiday carousel; the other cookies from Friends) but a missed opportunity for some new prints

6) No light brick (again, cost-cutting)

7) Probably all stickers for the North Pole/Santa's Workshop sign

Then again, in exchange, we only get a couple of things that are unique:

1) Red Santa Claus bag

2) Printed reindeer eyes/2x2 slopes

3) Pearl gold elements

Every set is a balance of "What can the designer do with what they have available?" and "What will LEGO permit as new molds/prints/colors, etc."?

My biggest complaint is there is not enough "new" to get me super-excited about this set, and there are too many re-hashes.

[Lind Whisperer]

I personally like it, and am quite satisfied with the final result.

I agree that the workshop isn't really as big as it might be, but we have to remember that LEGO probably had to cut the size down, after the sales of the Market last year, which I've heard weren't exactly optimal(Not sure why that one didn't do better, it was a lovely set - can't wait to put it out again).

It's well built, and I especially love the exterior - good job, whoever built it! You captured the "Christmas-y" look exactly!

Not to mention the other little bits hidden throughout it, like the Ho-ho-home rug, and the Santa Needs YOU poster. It's great to see that the Fabuland sign is still a working mold - I would have thought that they had stopped using it(Now, if they would just give us a sign in New Light Brown...).

I'm thinking that I will probably swap out the Santa and sleigh, though. I have the first Advent Calender fig and sleigh, from back in 2005, and although they aren't as detailed(they used the dog mold in grey for reindeer - really rare part there), I think the more classic look might look better, at least in the case of Santa.

Any thoughts?

[finishlast]

OK, for me every christmas set means illumintation, so I tried to count up the needed light sources.

The machine needs a 2channel blinker red and green.

1x red

1x green

Santa's sleight needs 2 tealight LEDs. Rudolph obviously a blinking red nose.

2x tealight LEDs

1x red blinking LED

There is no?!?!? light inside the house. The interior. Well. So we better add a light of some sort with 2 LEDs.

2xwhite

8channel chasinglight on the roof.

1x red

1x pink

2x green

2x orange

2x blue

Lamps on the walls

3x yellow: left lamp 2 and on the right side 1.

Christmastree

2x red

2x yellow

************

So we should need:

2x blue

4x red

1x pink

5x yellow

3x green

2x orange

2x white

Special LED

2x electric tealight LED

1x red blinker for Rudolph Blinker transparent red 1x1 or just a round led

So all in all 22 LEDs, did I miss anything?

[KringlesBricks]

The set is starting to actually grow on me because every time I look at it, I know I can MOD certain parts of it to make it to my tasting. It's certainly not on my priority "to-buy" list.

I really like the sleigh and the toy machine, and the elf mini-figs.

The huge Clock above the door, well, I am going to try to incorporate this white clock in place of it somehow, and see how it looks.

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=4150px1

[Weil]

I wonder if the white fur on Santa's torso will actually be white unlike the CMF where in any I've seen at least it always seems a pinky colour... Comparing the white on the torso to the white of the beard in the video seems to suggest it will still be pinky...

[Withacee]

That link doesn't work! Don't have permission to do that??? who?

I think you need at least 10 posts to be able to get these privileges.

Well, despite all negative comments, I love this set.

It fits in perfectly with the rest of the winter village, and I'm buying it. No discussion.

[8BrickMario]

I like how whimsical it looks, and after the appalling prices of the recent WV sets, this is a nice step down.

I like Mrs. Claus for her new hair color and dress, but the torso and head are mildly disappointing. Although, these kinds of sets rarely use new prints. The sleigh is excellent, and the reindeer are cute as well. The toy machine is a humorous touch, but the small size doesn't bug me too much.

I would have wanted a red-nosed reindeer, and a new torso and face for the Mrs. (she needs glasses). The columns at the door and the candy canes are brilliant.

Edited August 13, 2014 by 8BrickMario

[Mr Greeble]

Hmm, I could use those reindeer eyes...

[fred67]

I would have wanted a red-nosed reindeer...

Really? No... really? It's just a round 1x1 to replace... you've probably gotten a red one just from extras in most sets.

What I like about these reindeer is that they didn't give you eight, but they are brick built from fairly common bricks and you can build it up to eight (or nine) easily... just not with the eyes.

[Sir Brickalot]

I really like this set. Can't wait to add it to my collection.

[8BrickMario]

Really? No... really? It's just a round 1x1 to replace... you've probably gotten a red one just from extras in most sets.

What I like about these reindeer is that they didn't give you eight, but they are brick built from fairly common bricks and you can build it up to eight (or nine) easily... just not with the eyes.

I know, it's incredibly easy, but it would have been a cute touch in the official set.

[fred67]

I know, it's incredibly easy, but it would have been a cute touch in the official set.

Yeah... I hope I didn't come off as rude, just the simplest MOD ever... I wouldn't be surprised if there's an extra 1x1 round red plate left over just by "coincidence," in fact.

What I'm actually liking about this set is it's modability and expandability, and that it comes in at a good price because of it. Looking forward to Thanksgiving week; I normally take the whole week off from work and put up my LEGO Christmas display... this year expanding to two tables instead of the one I'd been using - there's just no room left!

EDIT: in fact, I may just be inclined to fine-point Sharpie some eyes on brown bricks... interesting because then I can make a little variety in their "expressions."

Edited August 18, 2014 by fred67

[ritzcrackerman]

I like it, more or less. I look at the enormous looking clock face from the Town Hall set, and wonder why they couldn't of made the building just a little larger to be in better scale with it...oh well..maybe I will modify it.

I would love to have seen a "Countdown clock" - e.g., Number of Days until Christmas print.

I know, it's incredibly easy, but it would have been a cute touch in the official set.

I agree with you. It's the simplest MOD ever - but the little attention to detail would have helped prop up the value of the set in my eyes as well (see my previous posting on that).