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Why we LOVE this product!
This is a lovely twist on the holiday countdown: instead of a calendar you throw away, families build a Santa display with a working countdown mechanism and bring it out every year. Building it together in November is a tradition in itself.
The rotating number drums are a neat mechanism for curious builders to figure out, and turning them each morning is a satisfying daily ritual.
Two things to weigh: it isn't an advent calendar with daily surprises, and at 873 pieces it's a project best for 10 and up or a family build. For LEGO-loving families, it's a keeper.
Description
SKU:
40874
LEGO Santa's Holiday Countdown (40874) is an 873-piece Christmas display model of Santa on a snowy rooftop with his sack of gifts, with a brick-built countdown in the chimney that you turn by hand to show the days left until Christmas.
What you build
- A brick-built Santa Claus on a snowy rooftop with a sack of gifts
- A chimney with a wreath and a rotating number countdown
- Knobs on the side that turn the number drums
How it works
Each day, turn the knobs to change the number in the chimney. Because it's a reusable countdown rather than an advent calendar with doors, it comes out every year. Brick Fanatics notes it can count down from as far out as 99 days.
What kids learn
- Following instructions: step-by-step building builds focus and sequencing
- Spatial reasoning: turning 2D diagrams into a 3D model
- Fine motor skills: handling and pressing small bricks
- Patience and persistence: a big build takes several sessions
- Mechanisms: how the rotating drums change the display
- Counting and number sense: tracking the days down to zero
Good to know before you buy
- Not an advent calendar: there are no doors or daily surprises; it's a display model with a countdown.
- Age: 10 and up.
- Stickers: a few stickers go on the chimney.
- Reviews: 4.8 stars on LEGO.com at the time of writing.
- Shipping: LEGO offers free shipping on orders over $35 at the time of writing.
- Value: $59.99, and it's reusable every year.
Who it's for
Older kids and families who love building together, LEGO fans who decorate for Christmas, and anyone who wants a countdown tradition that lasts.
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About
Lego
The LEGO Group began in 1932 in Billund, Denmark, when carpenter Ole Kirk Kristiansen started making wooden toys. The name LEGO comes from the Danish words *leg godt*, meaning “play well,” a fitting reflection of the company's enduring belief in the value of play. The modern LEGO brick, introduced in its familiar interlocking form in 1958, became the foundation of a building system that allows pieces to connect in countless ways.
Today, LEGO inspires builders around the world with products that combine creativity, imagination, and learning. Its sets range from simple builds for younger children to intricate models and challenging projects for experienced builders and adult fans. Whether recreating a favorite fictional world, designing a vehicle, constructing a landmark, or inventing an original creation, builders can explore ideas and develop skills through hands-on play.
Still family-owned, the LEGO Group continues to pursue its mission to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow, creating experiences that encourage curiosity, creative thinking, and discovery across generations.
