The LEGO Christmas Tree Stand (set number 40082) was only available as a "free" throw-in when you ordered $100 worth of LEGO sets from the LEGO Shop at Home website (at least I think you needed to order $100 worth). Since I ended up ordering the Winter Village Market, this particular set went with the Market perfectly (and thus made my market purchase seem like a better deal)!
As for the Christmas Tree Stand set, it comes with 115 pieces (officially though you do get a few extra little pieces). You get two minifigures, a small Christmas tree stand, a stand for a broom and axe, and a couple of $100 bills. You also get three small pine trees which serve as the Christmas trees.
Once you open up the box, you are greeted with three plastic bags (unnumbered) and an instruction booklet.
I have to admit, with only 115 pieces, I was expecting a cheap fold-out book but I was pleasantly surprised. The instruction manual is thick (though perhaps unnecessarily so since you only use two or three pieces per step throughout the building process).
As usual with LEGO sets, you begin the building process with the minifigures. For the Christmas Tree Stand set, you get two minifigures. The first is a stand worker who comes with green overalls and a plaid shirt. He also has one of the newer style ball caps. The second figure is the woman shopper who comes with a scarf piece (a backwards handkerchief) and a purple beanie cap (a new color, at least for me)!
After putting together the two minifigures, there is one other small build - a simple tool stand.
The set comes with both an axe and a broom - one for cutting down Christmas trees and the other for sweeping up loose needles I guess. There's not much exciting about this but it is a nice touch.
Finally, we get to the main part of the set - the actual Christmas Tree stand. As I was building the small stand, I have to admit that I was impressed with the build.
There's just enough variation to keep the build interesting - and the end result is quite nice. I like the fact that LEGO included working opening doors for the window - you can close up shop when it is after hours! Again, it's a small touch but a nice one. Not only that but the door pieces themselves were new to me (and it's always fun to get new pieces)!
The build is basically over before it even begins - but that happens with the sets clocking in at around 100 pieces. I'd say for a free set this is really nice.
In fact, I'd say it's easily worth ten bucks - especially when you factor in the two figures and the trees.
The worker can even stand behind his stand (on the small plate) if he simply wants to rest (and collect the cash) while the shoppers pick out their own trees and load 'em into their own vehicles.
Speaking of vehicles, the second "half" of this set is the other 2013 Limited Edition set which is scheduled to be released on Black Friday (again on the LEGO Shop at Home page). That set comes with a fourth tree, one minifigure, and a truck to haul away a Christmas tree. Based on the image, I think the Christmas Tree Stand is far and away the better set of the two (and hence why I ordered my set when I did - I wanted this "freebie")!
The Bottom Line (out of 10):
Fun: 5
Play Value: 3
Kid Value: 4
Adult Value: 10
Overall: 7.5
It's hard to give the set anything other than a 10 for value since it was technically free! However, looking at the set as if I had to buy it I scored it quite low for kids (there's not a lot to do with the set) but extremely high for adults (it's a perfect complement to any winter scene - and getting three small trees is a bonus for almost any scene at all, winter or not). Because of that, I'm extremely happy with the set but I could see why kids wouldn't be quite as enthralled as I am.
As for the Christmas Tree Stand set, it comes with 115 pieces (officially though you do get a few extra little pieces). You get two minifigures, a small Christmas tree stand, a stand for a broom and axe, and a couple of $100 bills. You also get three small pine trees which serve as the Christmas trees.
As usual with LEGO sets, you begin the building process with the minifigures. For the Christmas Tree Stand set, you get two minifigures. The first is a stand worker who comes with green overalls and a plaid shirt. He also has one of the newer style ball caps. The second figure is the woman shopper who comes with a scarf piece (a backwards handkerchief) and a purple beanie cap (a new color, at least for me)!
After putting together the two minifigures, there is one other small build - a simple tool stand.
The set comes with both an axe and a broom - one for cutting down Christmas trees and the other for sweeping up loose needles I guess. There's not much exciting about this but it is a nice touch.
Finally, we get to the main part of the set - the actual Christmas Tree stand. As I was building the small stand, I have to admit that I was impressed with the build.
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| Build in progress! |
There's just enough variation to keep the build interesting - and the end result is quite nice. I like the fact that LEGO included working opening doors for the window - you can close up shop when it is after hours! Again, it's a small touch but a nice one. Not only that but the door pieces themselves were new to me (and it's always fun to get new pieces)!
The build is basically over before it even begins - but that happens with the sets clocking in at around 100 pieces. I'd say for a free set this is really nice.
In fact, I'd say it's easily worth ten bucks - especially when you factor in the two figures and the trees.
The worker can even stand behind his stand (on the small plate) if he simply wants to rest (and collect the cash) while the shoppers pick out their own trees and load 'em into their own vehicles.
Speaking of vehicles, the second "half" of this set is the other 2013 Limited Edition set which is scheduled to be released on Black Friday (again on the LEGO Shop at Home page). That set comes with a fourth tree, one minifigure, and a truck to haul away a Christmas tree. Based on the image, I think the Christmas Tree Stand is far and away the better set of the two (and hence why I ordered my set when I did - I wanted this "freebie")!
The Bottom Line (out of 10):
Fun: 5
Play Value: 3
Kid Value: 4
Adult Value: 10
Overall: 7.5
It's hard to give the set anything other than a 10 for value since it was technically free! However, looking at the set as if I had to buy it I scored it quite low for kids (there's not a lot to do with the set) but extremely high for adults (it's a perfect complement to any winter scene - and getting three small trees is a bonus for almost any scene at all, winter or not). Because of that, I'm extremely happy with the set but I could see why kids wouldn't be quite as enthralled as I am.
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