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It's that time of year again when the days get shorter, the nights get colder, and children all around the world stare longingly into warmly lit toy shops and prepare their wishlist to send to Santa. This is also the time when The Lego Group releases their latest Winter Village set which has been an annual tradition for the past seven years. These sets have been very popular, especially among AFOLs, and are always highly anticipated. However, while some entries in this series have been more popular than others, none has been as controversial as this year's set, the Winter Toy Shop, which is a re-release of the first Winter Village set, 10199 Winter Toy Shop from 2009. It seems that many think that this set didn't need to be remade and would have preferred a new set instead, or that it is not different enough from the original and will be redundant in a completionist's collection. Does it deserve all the hate? Let's find out. Disclaimer: I don't own the 2009 version, so I can't compare them visually, but I will do my best to let you know what is different in this version. If you do need a visual reference, you can refer to Svelte's excellent review of the original. Set Number: 10249 Name: Winter Toy Shop Theme: Creator Year of Release: 2015 Pieces: 898 Minifigs: 8 Price: £59.99 / $79.99 / 69.99€ S@H description: S@H Bricklink Brickset The Box The box art of this set is similar to that of the original, but there are some notable differences. The Christmas tree is on the right side of the image this time while the park bench is on the left and of course it features this year's design for Creator boxes with the dark blue stripe along the right side and the "Expert" logo in the top right corner. There's also a small picture of the back of the toy shop and the background looks less cartoony than on the original. The back is also very similar, showing a different angle of the toy shop along with some close-ups, although this time there is no minifig lineup. Instead, the minifig lineup is on the right side of the box. It also includes the accessories that each minifig comes with and some of the toys. On the left side of the box there is a thumbnail of the box art and the set name in six different languages. They also want to make sure that you know that there are batteries included by saying it in dozens of languages. The top of the box features the inventory and a 1:1 scale reference with the female caroler. On the bottom there is a picture that reminds you that there is a light brick included in this set, in case that wasn't clear from the front of the box, and it confirms that yes, it is a bad idea to put it in water, in case you were planning to go swimming with your Winter Toy Shop. The Contents Inside the box there are two instruction booklets and two groups of bags, one for each instruction booklet. While two groups of bags is not as many as there usually are in other sets of this size, it's still better than the first version of this set where the bags weren't numbered at all, so this makes the build a bit easier. The large bag in Group 1 and the two large bags in Group 2 have a white stripe going down the middle of the bag and only have one group number printed on it along with some other number and some kind of scan code. I have no idea why they made this distinction for these bags or what that code is for, so if any of you know the purpose of this, please let me know in the comments below. Here is a random instructions page. As you can see, the building steps can get quite challenging as they sometimes include many different pieces in one step, especially when it uses a lot of brown pieces which are very dark and hard to see in the instructions, living up to the set's status as an expert-level set. Most of the time, though, the instructions are pretty clear and easy enough to follow. There are some parts in new colors in this set that weren't in the first version or any other set until now, such as that large, flat Technic arch in dark green, the jester hat in orange and blue, one of those new 2z2 round jumper tiles in brown, a golden frog(!), and a snowboard in dark blue. There are also some rare Friends parts that make their Creator debut here such as the skis in azure and that new clear 1x1 round tile with a tiny tube coming out of it which is usually used as a stand for Friends accessories and is a very useful piece, especially for SNOT techniques (and no, I'm not talking about the type of snot that many people usually have stuck in their nose around this time of year). There are some printed parts as well, such as the clock tile, the letter tile, and the register slope like in the first version of the set. We also get a new face print for the white cat which is more in line with other modern cat designs. But the best part is the shop sign which is printed this time around. It features a lovely wood pattern, the words "toy shop", and a toy soldier on both sides of the sign. Which is ironic since the shop doesn't seem to sell any toy soldiers like this, but it looks so good on the sign that I won't sue them for false advertising. The Minifigs Let's start with the most unique figures in this set, the carolers. These two were also the highlight in the first version of the set, but in the original they both had the same head (this one -> ) which featured a very questionable facial expression that could easily be taken out of context. In this version, they have unique faces which look much better and help distinguish their gender. The male caroler uses Lord Vampyre's torso which looks quite snazzy on him. Maybe this is Lord Vampyre before he became a vampire? The female caroler is easily the best minifig in the set, though, because in addition to her exclusive head, she also gets an exclusive torso and skirt print! A huge improvement over the generic unprinted one in the original. She also gets the queen hair in dark brown and Aragorn's lined cape instead of two combined regular capes. This set truly is the Return of the Queen! The snowman is technically not a minifig, but as you can see here, he is exactly as tall as one and he is the first thing you build after the minifigs, so I included him here. He has mostly the same design as before, except this time he has robot claws for arms instead of levers. Which is good since they allow him to hold accessories such as his broom. His carrot nose is included separately again. The carolers both have back printing while the snowman looks no different from the back than he does from the front. Here you can see the black side of the female's cape. This lined cape is so much nicer than the solution they used in the original. Next up we have what I assume is a married couple who are likely the parents of at least one of the kids, as well as the toymaker who I will call Geppetto. The man in the pinstripe suit was not included in the first version of the set, so he's a bonus minifig! These guys are fairly generic, but they have some detailed torso prints, so they look pretty nice. Geppetto seems to have gotten younger since the release of the original set since his gray hair has now turned dark tan and he doesn't seem to need glasses anymore. The men both have back printing, but the woman is the only one in this set who doesn't get a back print. Why you gotta be so discriminating against women, LEGO?! Last but not least, there are the kids. One of the boys wears dark blue pants, a green jacket, and a wool cap. He looks a bit like a lumberjack, so let's call him lumberjack boy, or Jack for short. The little girl wears an outfit that wouldn't look out of place in the Friends theme with a lavender scarf and pants. I'll call her Lavender. The second boy is wearing an Octan jacket and a sports helmet which makes it ironic that he is the one not doing any winter sports on the box art. I'll call him President Business Junior, or PBJ for short. All of the kids have fairly detailed back printing which makes up for the fact that much like the adults, they are made out of mostly common parts. PBJ's helmet and scarf cover up the back of his head nicely which is important as you will see in the next picture. What's also great about these figs is that half of them have a double-sided head. Here you can see PBJ doing his best Macaulay Culkin impression. I also removed his scarf so you can see the printing on his torso better. But he's not the only one who seems to be easily scared. The mother also has a very alarmed expression. Maybe she got surprised by the Jack-in-the-box or maybe she just realized how expensive toys are nowadays. You can see the female caroler's back printing here. Her alternate expression is a non-singing face which is very nice to have and I wish the male caroler could have one too. She looks quite cute with those rosy cheeks. But the most adorable out of all of them has to be the little girl. She comes with a pouting sad face that will melt your heart. Please, don't cry! I'll buy you any toy you want, just stop looking at me like that! The Build The first half of the build is dedicated to the surroundings of the toy shop. It includes the Christmas tree, the park bench, the snowman, the toys, the carolers, Jack and Lavender. The large bag contains two smaller bags with small pieces, a white box that contains the caroler's cape, and the jester hat in its own little bag. The first thing you build after the minifigs and the snowman is the toys. This version of the set has a lot more toys than the original which is good because I always felt that the first Toy Shop was a bit light on toys. Also, the ones that were in the original have been updated. For example, instead of the two pairs of skis, you now get one pair of skis that use the new ski mold and a snowboard. The Jack-in-the-box is mostly the same, except it now has an orange and blue color scheme instead of the red and blue from the original. This change was probably not necessary, but hey, at least we get a new jester hat out of it. And instead of the brick-built teddy bear you get the new teddy bear mold. I have mixed feelings about this change because I actually kinda liked the brick-built teddy design and using a specialized mold seems to be going against the spirit of Creator sets, but on the other hand I can't deny that the molded teddy looks better than the blocky old one. Meh. The new toys include a tugboat which has some rounded Technic pieces as its hull, a biplane, a rocket, a helicopter, and a truck that cleverly uses roller skates for its wheels. These are all quite brilliant designs that feel like micro versions of Lego City sets and make a great addition to the set. Here is a back view of some of the more complex models. As you can see, the Friends accessory stand has been cleverly used to hold the biplane's fin in place and to provide a stand for the helicopter. The Jack-in-the-box has a hinged lid. The only thing that bugs me a bit is the T-piece on top of the helicopter that holds the rotor in place, but I can't think of any better way they could have done it. Next is the ladder that is used to decorate the tree which is exactly the same as the first version. The supports are on a click-hinge, so they can be adjusted or folded away. Then, you build the tree itself. You begins, of course, with the stand which is mostly the same design as before, but this time the plates at the bottom are brown instead of white and have golden studs as feet. Next, you build the first layer of branches. The main difference in this version of the tree is that this one actually has a brown stem rather than just a Technic axle on which you stack the layers of branches one by one. You wont be able to see the stem in the final result, but I like this change as it makes the tree more realistic. Then you add the second layer of branches. This one doesn't have lights/candles and attaches to the lower layer at an angle using the four trans-yellow studs close to the stem. The third layer is added. This one has lights again. Each layer is similar in that they are all made out of green plates that are built around a 4x4 ring plate, but they get smaller each time and are constructed differently enough for the build not to feel repetitive. With the addition of the fourth layer, we get close to finishing the tree. Lastly, you add one more layer and the tip of the tree. Now it's time to decorate the tree! However, it's not as fun as it sounds since that requires you to add lights to the two chains/ropes first which can get a bit repetitive. The clips holding the lights to the chain were white, but this time they're pearl gold which looks much nicer in my opinion. The next part of the build is the park bench with the streetlamp and the little tree. This is a fairly quick build with not much to it. The fishbowl helmet parts are a useful piece that you don't see too often, so it's nice to get them again in this remake. The design is pretty much the same as in the original set except for the wreaths on the streetlamp which use a green life preserver instead of a round 2x2 plate. This is another instance where they use a specialized piece instead of a brick-built solution, but I'm okay with that because unlike with the teddy bear, this part was not originally intended to be a wreath, so it's still nice part usage. The second half of the build is dedicated to the toy shop itself and includes the couple, Geppetto, and PBJ. Please note that there is a fourth 6x10 plate burried under the parts. You begin by tiling the floor, setting up the walls, and adding the interior items such as the fireplace, the cash register, and the toy displays. Next, you add the walls, windows, and the door and the ground floor of the shop is finished. So far, the build is the same as the old toy shop, except this time they decided to have the white stripes on the marquees be the longer ones instead of the dark red ones for some reason. I don't know why they did this and kinda would have preverred to get dark red 1x1 plates instead of white, but it doesn't detract from the look of the shop, so I don't really care. Now we begin with the upper floor. This is where things start to look a little different. Can you tell the difference? The difference is that this time they attach the roof using clip-hinges instead of bulky Technic constructions which gives you more space on this floor and allows it to look more like an actual attic. They even tile the floor next to the frog clock. Aftter adding the roof, the build is finished. The main roof feels a bit loose since it's only attached to the building by one side. I'm not sure if this was an issue in the old toy shop, but it's not a big deal. I just wouldn't pick the set up by the roof. What I do like is that they used double cheese slopes on the awning on the outer wall of the tower instead of singles which makes it a bit easier to build. I like how the supports under the tower roof now match those of the main roof. The wreaths have also been updated like the ones on the streetlamp. And those Technic arches under the roof look a lot more like garlands now. On the original, they were dark gray, so I didn't even know they were supposed to be garlands and assumed they were part of the architecture. The shop sign looks a lot better now that it is printed. The old one just looked like a white flag. I also like how the small plates under the marquee give it a wavy look and they included two trees in different sizes on the right side of the shop. The back is nice and open and allows you to see the rest of the toys, the robot, train, and race car, all of which have just as much of a simple and clever design as the other toys. The clock looks much nicer with the new golden frog. Because golden frogs make everything better. Spare Parts There are quite a few small parts left over, including a roller skate and one of those Friends accessory stands which will come in handy. The Complete Set Here you can see the full set together. It looks quite nice and festive with all the little details and there are many scenes that you can play out with it: You can have the minifigs decorate the tree, have the kids play in the snow, have the carolers sing by the bench, have the toymaker build some toys in his workshop, or have the parents buy presents for their kids. It's a festive, toy-filled Winter Wonderland! The fireplace looks cozy and I like the brick pattern going up the chimney. The entrance of the shop looks a bit empty aside from the cash register. I feel like they could have displayed some more toys here, but oh well. Being a set targeted at teens and adults, there aren't really any play features aside from the light brick which is attached to a hinge, so you can either activate it by pressing the button with your finger or tilting the brick upward so that the button is pressed against the roof. However, since the roof is not connected in the middle and only attached on the sides, it tends to split open a bit when you do that, so I'm not sure if attaching the roof this way here was such a good idea. Nevertheless, it looks quite nice when the light is lit. Ratings Design: 5/5 - This set is as gorgeous as it was back in 2009! The small updates that they made are mostly good ones, although the absence of a brick-built teddy is a bit disappointing and the new way the roof is attached, while not as bulky as before, makes the roof slightly unstable, but those are just nitpicks. Build: 5/5 - There are some interesting building techniques here, such as those on the tree, the roof, and the toys. The fact that the parts are only split into two groups and the part callouts can get fairly complex makes it a challenging, enjoyable build. Minifigs: 5/5 - They did a great job updating the figs in this set. While only 3 of the torsos in the original had any printing, all of the torsos have printing front and back in this set, even the skirt and cape of the female caroler. You get two exclusive heads and half of the heads are double-sided, plus you get 8 instead of 7 minifigs. You really can't ask for more in a Creator set. Playability: 4/5 - This set is more meant to be displayed than to be played with, but there are plenty of things to play with if you want. All the different minifigs, accessories, and set pieces make for endless possibilities for play. It's especially fun to swoosh the micro vehicles around. Parts: 3/5 - There are lots of good parts here. Most of them are fairly common, but there are some rare parts and some even in exclusive colors. Price: 4/5 - This set costs $20 more than the original, but considering that this set has nearly 900 pieces, including some rare and exclusive ones, as well as more minifigs with much better printing, I think $80 is still a fair price. Overall: 5/5 - So what's my opinion of this set? For a remake, I think it's great. They managed to make a good set even better. Are the changes minor? Yes. Are they an improvement? Mostly, yes. Were they necessary? Perhaps not, but it's good that they made them instead of just re-releasing the exact same set. So if you didn't get the first Winter Toy Shop, I can highly recommend getting this one. If you do already have the old version, this one might still be worth picking up for the hugely improved minifigs and rare parts alone. As for the controversy over re-releasing the Winter Toy Shop, I can see where the haters are coming from, but I find their complaints to be quite petty. I can understand if you're disappointed because you already have the first Winter Toy Shop and were looking forward to a new set this year, but there's always next year. If you're a completist and feel like TLG is forcing you to buy a set you don't need, you're wrong. Nobody is forcing you to buy anything but yourself. If you decide to buy every set in a theme no matter what it is, that's your problem, not LEGO's. So put down your torches and pitchforks and just be glad that they improved the set design and gave us another chance to buy this classic set. There are far worse things that can happen in this world than Lego re-releasing one of their most popular sets. Sorry for that little rant. So what is your opinion on re-releases like this? Please cast your vote in the poll above. I hope you enjoyed this special Eurobricks Reviewers Academy review and would like to thank The Lego Group for the opportunity to review this set. Happy Holidays everyone! Bat-Toys by Okay Yaramanoglu, on Flickr

The design for this model is really a long story, it all started with a small shed for a sleigh, then developed into a market with shops which as for the first ended badly. Finally it became this a small town square fit for a Lego Citty. This set (simply reffering to my MOC as a set) includes three small snow mounds, A frozen fountain a small bench, A patch of snow with Christmas tree, a horse drawn sleigh (altered version of my original) and the focal point a gate and fence. So without further ado my Christmas MOC: The first photo shows the Christmas Queen elected by a panel of judges in a beauty pagent riding in the honorary sleigh, passing out presents to all the good boys and girls of the town. This shows an overview of the whole park with the small fountain and some people snowball fighting. This shows the fountain the statue replaced with a small christmas tree honoring the season and two of the towns most pristigious buisness men solving the argument with a good old fashioned snowball fight. This final photo shows the gate into which you enter the park it is a known site for the villagers and a favorite meeting point. I had a lot of fun with this MOC (and storyline) and comments are greatly appreciated on all aspects including both story and model.

For the past nine years the Hudson’s Bay Company flagship store in Toronto has displayed a beloved series of windows that depict Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves getting ready for Christmas, and other Christmas scenes. My winter village entry is a rendition of two of the five HBC windows. The first scene has elves feeding the reindeer and preparing Santa’s sleigh outside of the Toy Shoppe at the North Pole. The second scene is inside the building where the elves are busy making the toys as Santa goes over his list from the many letters he has received from children everywhere. I have tried to include most of the elements but have altered some of the design. The clock is the central feature of the piece and the elves are busily at work, while Mrs. Claus is helping out by bringing treats. Santa is checking his “Naughty” and “Nice” list after reading the letters sent to him by children around the world. Lego HBC Santa's Toy Shoppe3 by Karen Metz, on Flickr HBC poems that are in front of their windows (I have included one with the display): "With Christmas approaching young children are hoping that their presents will reach them according to plan, all wonderfully donated by a wonderful man. So Santa’s little helpers make sure is all right so that nothing will go wrong on that faithful night. They work with much diligence and a great deal of pride thus ensuring that Santa will have a smooth ride." Lego HBC Santa's Toy Shoppe2 by Karen Metz, on Flickr “The clock is ticking and the hours are dwindling The toyshop is bustling as the elves are preparing The list is revised and a plan is devised There’s no time to pause for old Santa Claus” Lego HBC Santa's Toy Shoppe5 by Karen Metz, on Flickr Lego HBC Santa's Toy Shoppe4 by Karen Metz, on Flickr Lego HBC Santa's Toy Shoppe8 by Karen Metz, on Flickr If you check out my Flickr page I have photos of the actual HBC Christmas windows. I have also created a second story that can be added to my MOC that depicts the last of the five HBC windows with the elves and Santa relaxing to a fabulous meal after all the the presents have been delivered around the world. I have posted pictures of this floor/window as well on Flickr if anyone wants to check it out. It is not quite finished (need to change some parts). I haven’t included this level for the contest since I would have greatly exceeded the size limit. Happy Christmas to all! P.S. The Hudson’s Bay Company is the oldest company in North America (founded in 1670) and is known for its iconic white wool point blankets with green, yellow, red and blue stripes.

Here's my entry for the Winter Village contest, a snowy cottage. The back is open to see the interior: And with the ladder for the attic down:

Six years ago I took part in the very first Expand the Winter Village contest here on Eurobricks. Ironically, the set released then and the one released now are remarkably similar. Anyhow, let's hope this one is not at all similar to my entry six years back. Dickens Tavern Based off of Charles Dickens' Christmas stories, this model features a tavern, two snowy trees, and eight minifigures. Inside we see an old farmer keeping up the holiday cheer with a hot cup of grog. Inside is also a barrel of ale and a glass and bottle full of rum. Meanwhile, in the snow, Fred and Janet (named after Scrooge's Niece and Nephew in A Christmas Carol) enjoy a lighthearted flirtatious snowball fight. Ebenezer the Chicken watches with interest. Bill the Carpenter has a chat with Gideon the Innkeeper about building new tables inside, while Bill's dog Cotter wants to chase Ebenezer the chicken around. Alongside the Tavern, a Little Drummer Boy and Little Fifer Boy play music to spread the Christmas cheer. Even though Gideon's cow Gladys can't find any grass, she still swings her tail to the heartwarming music. Lastly, Evans the grocer drops by with a wagon full of carrots, apples, cabbage, fish, sausages, mutton, and bread for everyone's Christmas dinners. His cat Dot is hungry for the fish, but Fann the horse wants to keep going, because a bale of hay awaits her at home. I hope you enjoyed looking at this model as much as I had building it. If you want to see it up close, drop by the LOLUG Brick Show in Lincoln, Nebraska on November 21. In the meantime, Happy Christmas, and as Tiny Tim said, "God bless us, every one." Always entertaining, always inspiring, always:

The Holiday Season is approaching fast and that means it is time for an annual tradition in the Town forum. Join the Expand the Winter Village Contest VI, show us what creation you would add to the Winter Village and let's give TLG plenty of ideas for the Winter Village series for years to come! Head over to the Town forum and join the fun.

Here's my entry to the Expand the Winter Village Contest V: The Barn House. This is where the sick animals (mostly fawns) are kept and looked after when they are not well. The 'set' includes the main barn house, and outdoor yard with shelter and five minifigures. The minifigures from left to right are: Elf - Santa's liaison Jo - looks after the animals Kids x2 - because where there are small animals there are always small kids Lachy - cleans up after the animals Front of the barn house: You can see the chicken on the left hand side, snooping around the feed store for the animals. The interior of the barn house has a small stable, for the animals that need lots of attention, a pot belly stove to warm up the barn and a loft so that Jo can stay close to the animals 24/7. The outside yard is for those animals that need a little less attention. It includes a small stable to shelter from the weather: Someone left the gate open! More images in the Flickr album. Thanks for looking! C&C welcome.

Hello! I am considering to sell the whole diorama, inclusive 6 Original Winter Village sets and lots of white plates and bricks as well as 3 baseplates in light grey (48 x 48). Total of over 6000 new pieces and 44 minifigs. Ofcourse the whole street comes with Original boxes and booklets... Will only sell for a very good offer! (At least more than the Original price of all sets together) (Selling-location Netherlands) 10199 Winter Village Toy Shop 10216 Winter Village Bakery 10222 Winter Village Post Office 10229 Winter Village Cottage 10235 Winter Village Market 10245 Winter Village Santa's Workshop 40106 Toy Workshop (not in pictures)

So with the Christmas days of 2014 fading away all too soon and the missus forcing me to store away my beloved Lego Winter Village display, I have already started dreaming of next December! My wife doesn't know yet but I am secretly planning to expand the display and make it cover an area twice as large as it was last year! This, however, would require moving it to a different place in the house, where the display would be visible from all angles, i.e. no wall at the back. Since I have added LifeLites lighting to all the WV houses, this would be problematic as the wires and the print boards with the LEDs are visible from the back. Does any of you have experience with modding the houses from the official WV sets to add walls and roof at the backsides?

Thanks to everyone who entered the fifth annual Expand the Winter Village Contest. Once again, it has been inspiring to see so much creativity in a relatively small space. This year, we have 36 excellent qualifying entries! You can now vote for your favorite entries by replying in this topic. Please read the voting rules below carefully and use this thread for voting only. We'd love to hear your feedback on the competition in the discussion thread. Voting closes on Sunday, January 18 at Midnight GMT. Voting Rules - You have a total of 5 points to award - You may not give more than 3 points to a single entry - Post your votes in the voting format shown below (list entry number, builder, and number of points awarded) - You may not edit your post (posts edited more than one hour after the vote was placed will not be counted) - Votes that do not comply with these (simple) rules will not be counted - You must have joined Eurobricks prior to January 1, 2015 Examples of Correct Votes 7. Bonaparte - 2 19. Hinckley - 3 7. Bonaparte - 2 15. Sinner - 2 19. Hinckley - 1 7. Bonaparte - 1 15. Sinner - 1 19. Hinckley - 1 21. Pandora - 1 22. Rick - 1 The Entries 1. Old Man Winter's General Store by ResIpsaLoquitur 2. Game Room and Hot Tub by BrickRally217 3. Holiday Cafe by Ranger_Elegost 4. Gingerbread House by Eureka 5. Christmas Frozen Fountain by sweetsha 6. the Gingerbread House by Athos 7. Buddy's Bunkhouse by GmaBlu 8. Ebeneezer's Books & Blends by stebai 9. Santa's Storage Unit by antp 10. Reindeer Barn by 6kyubi6 11. Winter Fun Fair by jaredchan 12. Lighthouse by Rustony 13. Nativity Scene in the Winter Village Public Park by parsom 14. Removed–this entry was disqualified as it was posted elsewhere before being entered into the contest. If you voted for this creation, please follow the instructions in this post. Thank you. 15. Food Mall by monkey_roo 16. Woodworker's Shop by Leopold 17. Santa's HotChoc&Cake Train by Gabor 18. Conservatory, Florist and Garland Shoppe by ShaydDeGrai 19. Elf House by boxyman123 20. The Little Cottage by nucleon 21. Santa's Garage and Stable by Ozp 22. Dance Hall by Emma 23. Sweet Shoppe by CM4Sci 24. The Barn House by Kristel 25. Cheers & Beers by soundwave_sw 26. Uni-Kitty is com-ing, to Town by Cara 27. The Elves' Bakery by Bayou 28. Ginger Bread Man House by keiththelegokid 29. "Reindeer" Games by MaineBrickFan 30. Market by tommi5 31. St. Nick's School for Elves by gazumpty 32. Jack Frost's Forge and Shoppe by JackJonespaw 33. The Water Mill by StevenV 34. North Pole Motel by eliza 35. Gingerbread Bakery by ---Vertea--- 36. Reindeer Maintenance Barn by LittleMsLaura

"Bah humbug!". Ebeneezer left the Lego Movie, realizing what a terrible mistake he had made when he decided on a life of accountancy. "The real money is in coffee", he mumbled as he trudged home through the snow banks, his misery mounting, "Banks without money - humbug.." As he reached his destination he paused outside his cold and lonely office, "I'll have to do something about this..." With a new found enthusiasm Ebeneezer set about creating a lovely little coffee & book shop, "Books & Blends". He soon found he had stumbled upon a goldmine, people just loved his coffee and dusty old almanacs. He even allowed Charlie, the local chestnut seller to set up outside his store. Ebeneezer didn't even ask for a percentage of Charlie's takings! Everyone agreed his cosy, little cafe was just the place to warm up on a winters day. Ebeneezer though, peering down from his balcony study, still liked to keep en eye on the business, Old habits were hard to lose, but he was happy. The books sold well, but the real money was in the COFFEE!! Ebeneezer's Books & Blends became so popular he never looked back on his miserable past. His staff loved the kindly man, who, in-turn, paid them well and valued their help. Everything indeed, with a little help from Lego, was "awesome" for Ebeneezer Scrooge. Merry Christmas! I hope you like the entry - as always I try to keep my builds as close in size and parts to the official Lego sets. There is also a Light Brick in there but it's hard to see (it's underneath Ebeneezers study). All the best to my fellow Lego builders for the competition & festive season - see some of you at Brickvention I hope in Melbourne 2015.

I need to take some better shots, but this is my latest version for 2014. I am now up to 8 boards, but for 2015 I am planning to start straight away and make some MOC's like a Church or bar and also I want some bigger trees. The plan is also to make it more modular so I can break it and build it more easily.

This is my entry for the winter Village contest: a Reindeer/Maintenance Barn. It's where the Reindeer are stabled and Santa's elves maintain/perform much needed upgrades the sleigh. You didn't think Santa delievered all those flat screen TV's and gaming systems using just reindeer power did you? Shown below are: - the overall outside of the barn both front and back; - reindeer getting a treat for all their hard work; - work being done on one of the thrusters inside the barn - and the real story to why Rudolf has such a red nose More photos can be found on my Flickr page HERE. Reindeer & Maintenance Barn Now that Christmas is over, time to perform some much needed elven maintenance on the sleigh. Christmas presents aren't what they used to be (toy trains, hula hoops and dolls). Now it's flat screen TV's and gaming systems the kids want. All that additional weight is becoming a little to much for the reindeer to bare, so the elves have installed thruster packs to the sleigh to give it a much needed boast. Here they are testing out a new design outside with Santa watching on. Up on the weathervein, even a local Owl watches on with interested as to what new motifications the elves have come up with this year. Unfortunately that owl better look out as one the of the barn cats has taken an interest in him. Think I've got it guys... Oops! With the tests outside done, the thursters are brought inside the barn where the elves can perform the additional modifications. Oops! FIRE!!!! Looks like someone forgot to remove the power to the thurster before they started work on it. Carrots anyone? Meanwhile on the other side of the barn, some of the reindeer are getting a much deserved treat after a hard night's work pulling Santa's sleigh. Mmmm carrots. Delicious. Putting the snowmobile away for the season Around back of the barn, a group of elves are hard at work storing away in the loft some of the equipment for the season. Two doing the hard labour and a third (with the help of the Gingerbreadman) supervising. Hey. it takes a lot of hard work to make supervising look this effortless In an attempt to get away from the cat the owl relocated to above the crane hoist, but it appears the cat is just as determined to follow him. How Rudolf got his Red Nose (the untold story) While everyone else is busy working, Rudolf and one of the elves take advantage of no one looking to sneak around to the side of the barn and partake in a little of their own Christmas cheer. H'ick!!! I guess now we know the real reason why Rudolf's nose is so red ...Glühwein! Uh-Oh! I hope those two are not completely sauced as it appears this party is about to be crashed by a local polar bear.

Here is my model for the Expand the Winter Village Contest. Enjoy. Winter Village Gingerbread House at the North Pole by macsforless, on Flickr

It's that time of year again! The Holiday Season is fast approaching and we're already excited about the latest additions to the Winter Village from TLG: Santa's Workshop and the Winter Village Market. It's now becoming a tradition here in Town that we love to see people's own creations to add to the Winter Village, and this year is no different. Things have changed slightly, but the core of the contest is here - we'd love YOU to build us an addition the the World of Santa's North Pole Village or create buildings for other holiday characters. Does that sound limiting? Fear not! Even Santa's Village needs train stations and houses and bakeries and all the other things a non-Santa Christmas village would need so be as creative as you want. Frosty and Rudolph and other holiday characters could use their own houses and workplaces too, I think so there's a chance to be really clever if you want as well! So come on Eurobricks, what are you waiting for? Let's have some wintery fun, and show us what your Holiday Character Winter Village inspired creation is! The Rules Entries must be posted by midnight UTC, December 31st, 2014. One entry per member. Entries must be similar in size to an official release LEGO Winter Village set. Entries should be either Town-themed or Friends-themed and may include either (or both) Minifigs and Minidolls. Entries should be new (never posted anywhere previously) and be similar in style to the previous official TLG releases. All entries are to include only real LEGO. No clone brands, 3rd party parts, or digital entries allowed. Decals will be allowed if you've made them yourself, but no cutting, sculpting or modifying parts. Entries are to be placed in their own entry topic in the Town forum. The title of the topic should begin with "Winter Village: " and then give the name of the entry. The entry post (first post in your entry topic) may be edited at any time up to the end of the contest, so feel free to make improvements if you wish. Entries are to consist of no more than 5 posted pictures of 1024x768 pixels or smaller resolution but may also include a link to a folder of additional images of any size. Photos of your creation can be manipulated with Photoshop for levels, proportions and color correction but may not include graphic enhancements. We reserve the right to disqualify any entry that does not follow these rules. The Prizes First Prize: EITHER 10245 Santa's Workshop OR 10235 Winter Village Market Second Prize: whichever set is not chosen for First Prize, of the two sets above. Third Prize: TBA For Inspiration and Reference Expand the Winter Village Contest IV: Winners | Entries and Voting | Rules and Discussion Expand the Winter Village Contest III: Winners | Entries and Voting | Rules and Discussion Expand the Winter Village Contest II: Winners | Entries and Voting | Rules and Discussion Expand the Winter Village Contest: Winners | Entries and Voting | Rules and Discussion Best of luck everyone, we're looking forward to seeing your entries!

Winter Village: the Little Cottage This's my entry for the Expand the Winter Village and my first time for contest on Eurobricks . Concept is a small cottage in the winter season and in christmas time. I've never seen a snow before because my country is located at the equator but I would like to have a house like this I choose Natalie Portman face because she is my favorite actor inside the cottage , I can go up to the mezzanine by use a ladder. many toys on it!! Hey , I got a trumpet ! Hay a little dog ! which one ? Cookie or candy I hope you enjoy my work , Thank you and sorry for my bad english = =

Hi all, This is my entry for this marvellous end of year contest. I made a little house for elves which is on a side of a big rock. This rock was modified by the elves to add a bread oven in a part of it. After that, they constructed a small house to be just aside the oven. I was inspired by old farm here (in east of France) because many ot them had a bread oven 50 years ago. Unfortunatelly today a lot of them has disappeared. I worked hard on the snow because I would like to give it a real shape with curves and some snowslides on the second part of the roof because of the wind. I also add a light brick in the oven, with a "key" to turn it on or off. The key is hidden in the rock. Have a great end of year, thanks for reading. link to the album on photobucket : http://s204.photobuc...village contest

(I'm just going to go ahead and apologize profusely for the terrible quality of pictures. Once I find my big ol' camera things won't be so bad, and I can stop using my phone.) Jack Frost! Everyone knows him as the guy with the ice. The ice guy. But who knew that he's also a talented blacksmith, eh? He works for Santa to forge some quite magnificient golden pieces, using only the finest gold material infused with magical ice powers to create a hardened gold end result, be it a breastplate, a small statue, or a weapon. Since Santa quit giving gifts of gold to kids, as, obviously, the kid could sell it for thousands, Jack opened up a Shoppe, where all of his golden craft can be bought for pretty high prices, actually. Jack isn't a business man. He's a blacksmith. Look at it. A shoppe and forge. Also a truck and a furnace for melting down the imported gold. And if you really, really want to, there's one more picture of the truck on my Flickr. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

So I was already building a "mom and pop" general store for the Winter Village when this contest opened, and it was decided that it had to be North Pole/mythological themed. I wanted to keep the store going, but what mythological character would possibly be running one at the North Pole? I'm betting we're going to see a lot of gingerbread houses, so who's left? And then I remembered: Old Man Winter. I'm not sure if Old Man Winter is a real mythological character, but he's a popular representation of the dry, grumpy feeling we get in a bitter winter. Fortunately, my Old Man is a little merrier than that and runs a nice (if somewhat chilly) store to sell provisions to North Polers and other visitor. Old Man Winter runs a traditional old-fashioned general store, though it gets frosted over quite frequently. He has it decorated in sparking blue lights and he's helped by an Arctic Explorer who brings supplies, a helper who gets rid of the icicles, and the Abombinable Snowman who's available for pictures with visitors. It's a great place for the Fantasy characters to stock up on tools and goods--just look at Santa with his new wheelbarrow. The roof is removable for easier access to the interior. Inside is a store full of, well, everything. You never know what's for sale at the North Pole--like any general store, it's "whatever's in this week." There's plenty of ice cream, though! Or you can read up on the latest Lego news, buy some frozen fruit or canned goods, get some tools, spare cheese for your fondue, or even some old tires. You didn't expect to be getting hot coffee from a guy named Old Man Winter, did you? The Abominable Snowman is not somebody you want working in a store full of stuff, so Old Man Winter keeps him happy with popsicles and lets him pose for pictures with visitors. He sits on a chair made out of pure ice! (Fortunately, it's padded so the Abombinable Snowman doesn't freeze his bottom.) Here's an alternate shot of the interior. I have more pictures available on my Photobucket site. I think I'm going to still be doing some mods to this set to get the colors more consistent. I've put in a Bricklink order for a bunch of white doors and windows and some blue shutters to get a colder, wintry look going. In the meantime, I'd appreciate any feedback or suggestions on this shop! I've been slowly modding this building for the last two years (and I had to buy a ton of 1 x 4 brown wood bricks) to get it just right, but there's always room for improvement. I look forward to your suggestions and to everyone else's entries!

Here is my entry for the Expand the Winter Village contest.... presenting the North Pole Motel. The North Pole has become a great vacation destination for visitors from other holiday lands. The set features motel sign, two cozy cabins, and a vintage car for traveling. The cabins are furnished. And here is the car with the top off. Thanks for looking!

This is my entry for the "Expand the Winter Village" competition. It is also my first post. Here is a link to the photo including Santa's North Pole set and the Elf's House set : http://i1167.photobu...zps328b9d73.jpg I have created a house for the elves, I wanted it to blend with Santa's North Pole set so I built it similarly. I felt penguins were necessary as was the postbox for the mail to arrive. A better view of the chimney. Finally an inside shot.

Hi everyone. My daughter and I have been working on a Christmas Winter Village MOC. Its based around the Santa's Workshop and the other Winter Village sets. We've also built a large Christmas Tree, a custom Lego Church and a number of smaller features. I hope you like the MOC. If you want to watch the previous 5 updates showing it being built from basic structure, to the working tree lights, to where it is today, click on our Youtube channel link. I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to leave any comments. Thanks, Mike

Hello all, here is the latest addition to my winter village. My version of Santa's workshop. Hope you like it. DSC03766 by Brickedin, on Flickr DSC03816 by Brickedin, on Flickr DSC03799 by Brickedin, on Flickr DSC03671 by Brickedin, on Flickr DSC03682 by Brickedin, on Flickr

I made a bunk house for Santa's Elves to coordinate with Santa's workshop. Since I am leaving to see my grandchildren tomorrow I can't wait for my impending bricklink to furnish the kitchen and put a ping pong table on the first floor. Originally I wanted the bunks to be greens on the left and reds on the right, but since the tiles didn't arrive the Elves' beds are more individual. Each elf represents one of my grandchildren.

Official press-release 13.07.2013 All pictures link to HR version which can be up to +5000.pxl 10235 Winter Village Market Ages 12+. 1,261 pieces. US $99.99 - CA $129.99 - DE 89.99€ - UK 79.99 £ - DK 799.00 DKK Available Beginning of October at LEGO Brand stores & S@H Collect and create a fun festive scene with the Winter Village Market! Bring home the holiday spirit with the Winter Village Market, continuing the popular LEGO® Winter Village Series. Turn the handle and take a ride on the rocking horse as the carousel spins! Visit the carnival booth. Fill up on holiday and fair favorites including a pie, pretzel and croissant at the baker’s stand, chicken and sausage at the grill stand or sweet treats at the candy shop. Celebrate a holiday season full of traditions and building with the Winter Village Market! Includes 9 minifigures with accessories: 3 females, 2 males and 4 children. • Includes 9 minifigures with accessories: 3 females, 2 males and 4 children • Features functioning carousel and operator’s booth with moving bucket challenge, baker’s stand, grill stand, candy stand, 2 streetlamps, 3 trees, a bench and 3 tables • Accessories include cups, teddy bear, a cat, scarf, purse and lots of food elements • Carousel horses feature new ornamental headwear design • Turn the handle to make the carousel rotate • Take a ride on the carousel • Watch the carousel horses really rock! • Fill up on holiday treats at the bakery, grill and candy stands! • Carousel and operator’s booth measure 7" (19cm) high, 10" (25cm) wide and 6" (16cm) deep • Booths measure over 3" (9cm) high, 3" (8cm) wide and 1" (4cm) deep • Combine with 10229 Winter Village Cottage for an even bigger winter scene! Minifigures Accessories Designer Video staring Astrid [/url]Enjoy!