Review: 10275 Elf Club House
Posted by CapnRex101,The appealing Winter Village collection focuses primarily upon buildings which might comprise traditional alpine villages. 10275 Elf Club House seems accordingly unusual, exhibiting splendid architectural detail and corresponding with the popular 10245 Santa's Workshop.
Outlandish additions to the Winter Village have sometimes received criticism, although this example seems rather versatile and could easily be adapted for display beside more realistic buildings. Furthermore, the set contains several outstanding additional items, including an elegant Christmas tree and an exclusive reindeer!
Box and Contents
Winter Village sets have traditionally focused upon family building experiences so the 18+ age recommendation for 10275 Elf Club House seems absurd. These sets make brilliant gifts and I imagine they are frequently purchased by adults, albeit typically for children. Nevertheless, the packaging appears more appealing than the majority of 18+ sets, featuring gently falling snow beside attractive branding.
Opening the box reveals eleven bags which are numbered between one and five. Two instruction manuals are also provided, matching past Winter Village sets and separating construction of the main building from the surrounding accessories. Unfortunately, these manuals lack information about the creative process from the set designer, Chris McVeigh.
Five stickers are provided and they also appear reminiscent of the stickers from previous sets, forming relatively subtle decorations. Fortunately, these stickers are easy to apply and display some marvellous details, including the resident elves in a charming photograph beside Santa Claus!
Minifigures
10275 Elf Club House contains four elves, wearing identical bright green attire which has been created specifically for this set. Some degree of variation would generally be appreciated but I think the shared design seems appropriate here, undoubtedly improving upon the minifigures from 10245 Santa's Workshop. Their bright green hats with moulded ears remain unchanged though and look superb.
These female elves feature fantastic facial expressions, including two different smiles on the second character. Moreover, I like the red scarf component and the torso decoration is lovely, featuring metallic gold highlights on each side. These designs are reasonably simple but they correspond with traditional depictions of Santa's elves.
All four minifigures include short green legs, contrasting against their bright green torsos and looking great. Much like their female counterparts, one of these minifigures features a double-sided head while the second only displays a broad smile. The same heads have appeared on multiple previous occasions which is slightly unfortunate.
Unique heads would certainly have been welcome, although the Winter Village sets usually provide relatively few new minifigures and these four elves are excellent. Nevertheless, I am disappointed that Santa Claus was omitted. He appears regularly in the City Advent Calendar and therefore remains available but should have accompanied his elves here.
The Completed Model
Despite significant variation in their appearance and purpose, Winter Village buildings share similar architectural features and 10275 Elf Club House maintains that tradition. The dramatic roof slopes seem appropriate for this wintry environment and correspond with certain previous sets, including 10267 Gingerbread House from 2019. This model measures almost 21cm wide and exactly 21cm in height which is comparatively tall.
An angled signpost is located outside, directing minifigures to the North Pole and a workshop. They both appear in 10245 Santa's Workshop, confirming the association between these sets. Furthermore, the red and white stripes on this signpost are shared with the North Pole marker from the 2014 model and I like the handwritten font, as though these signs have been painted by the elves.
The rounded door appears distinctive and this doorway is unusually small, befitting the elves dwelling within. Nevertheless, I appreciate the rustic door design and the surrounding window lattices look marvellous, particularly with snow heaped on each windowsill. The lantern beside the door seems rather basic in my opinion and could perhaps have been improved, although I welcome the inclusion of such minor details.
The club house includes sheltered parking for the accompanying sleigh. This structure looks remarkably simple but I like the reddish brown pillars that contrast against the otherwise dark tan ground floor. The sleigh slots neatly into this parking bay and tiles on the ground allow the vehicle to arrive or depart smoothly, as one might imagine on the snow.
Eight green 1x2 rounded plates form an attractive wreath above the entrance. This appears somewhat strange because a 4x4 round plate with hole could have achieved a similar effect, although I like this design and the neighbouring window. Additionally, the reddish brown tiles surrounding this window look wonderful, standing out against the sand green wall.
Dramatic dormer windows are positioned on either side, featuring steep roof slopes which complement the main roof structure. Unfortunately, gaps are visible between separate roof slopes but I expect it would have been difficult to avoid them. The wooden balcony appears delightfully ramshackle and includes an adjustable telescope, although actually reaching the balcony would require elves to climb through the window!
Two strings of colourful lights decorate the roof, featuring trans-red, trans-light blue and trans-bright green bulbs. They seem comparatively modern and I disliked them when looking at the packaging. However, the lights are beautifully arranged and my opinion shifted after attaching them, particularly since I think the edge of the roof would appear bland without any lights. The white string also looks perfect, blending with the plates underneath.
Winter Village sets consistently include extensive interior detail and the latest addition to the series continues that trend. The combination of muted sand green and dark green tiles across the floor complements the dark tan walls, interrupted only by a bright green 2x4 tile at the centre of the room. The red element near the door appears out of place but this red 3x4 plate with four studs is relatively uncommon.
The elves presumably enjoy waffles as two waffles are placed on their dining table and three more remain visible in the oven! There is only enough room for two elves at the table and their short legs prevent them from sitting down, although these tan chairs do look nice. Additionally, I like the photograph hanging on the wall which displays the four elf minifigures with Santa Claus.
Light bluish grey bricks dominate the chimney, varying from the main structure. That contrast appears reasonably effective and I like the colourful stocking which hangs above the oven. In addition, the oven includes an ingenious function. Moving the protruding 1x4 tile will release a waffle into the waiting frying pan and rotating the entire hob reveals the food, as demonstrated below. I have found that the waffle sometimes bounces out of the pan but this function remains enjoyable.
However, my favourite interior detail occupies the other side of the ground floor, where presents are wrapped. A roll of red and white striped wrapping paper hangs from the wall, making clever use of two door elements. These do not line up exactly with the red and white jumper plates on the table underneath but the illusion is certainly successful, particularly with a completed gift on the next table.
Detailed furnishings continue on the next floor, where the elves sleep. They include a lovely chest with alternating tan and medium nougat drawers beside a bright green rug. A splendid table lamp is also provided but I think the neighbouring chair looks rather bland. Furthermore, blue Technic pins are visible beneath the roof and these appear totally incongruous.
Three beds are stacked against the wall, resembling bunk beds. Their unusual arrangement definitely appears appropriate for elves, although each bed is exceptionally simple and these should have included greater detail. However, twisting the printed clock beneath the beds will cause them to tilt forwards, ejecting their occupants! This function is certainly entertaining but does provoke questions concerning the elves' working conditions.
Nevertheless, the elves seem rather cheerful and evidently anticipate Christmas Eve, circling that important date on their calendar. This sticker looks magnificent, displaying a sprig of holly beside the month and clearly identifying the 24th of December. The decorative foliage beneath the roof looks excellent too, providing a satisfying splash of colour.
Light bricks illuminate the majority of Winter Village sets but their integration does vary. This configuration is relatively simple as the light brick is placed immediately underneath the ridge and activated in the same place. Fortunately, the brick is nicely concealed and it looks superb when lit, casting light throughout the room. The light is almost entirely hidden from the exterior though and that is disappointing.
Numerous interesting Christmas tree designs have appeared across the Winter Village range, although none are more impressive than this example. The designer has made perfect use of green 1x2 slopes which are stacked sideways to create authentic texture, improving upon the 1x1 slopes that have been employed previously. I like the broad base as well.
An enormous star decorates the tree and seems accordingly out of proportion. Even so, this element is absolutely ideal, originating from The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part. Moreover, the combination of green and dark green pieces seems quite effective, partially disguising the transitions between slopes which are placed in different directions. Similar building techniques have appeared before but this Christmas tree is my favourite.
Before becoming a LEGO designer and creating this set, Chris McVeigh constructed some tremendous models. His classic computers are particularly popular and it therefore seems fitting to include another computer here! The angular keyboard and gigantic monitor are both evocative of computing from the 1990s and this model looks wonderful, displaying the elves' nice list in an appropriately antiquated style.
Elves are rarely separated from toys and several such accessories are included, depicting a keyboard, a pirate ship, a model aeroplane and two wrapped presents. Their red, dark azure and white wrapping matches additional gifts found inside the club house. The keyboard looks unremarkable beside the other toys but does incorporate a nice printed tile for the keys.
The galleon and model aeroplane both look magnificent though, making exceptional use of smaller pieces to create recognisable toys. I am particularly satisfied with the black, reddish brown and pearl gold colours of the ship, ensuring that the gunports stand out on each flank. The propeller aircraft is equally detailed and its shape looks brilliant, although the light bluish grey 1x1 brackets appear slightly awkward.
While the club house, Christmas tree and other accessories are appealing, the new reindeer has attracted particular attention! The reindeer is hitched to an elegant sleigh, with pearl gold scrollwork on either side and room for one minifigure. The light bluish grey runners lack detail but I am satisfied with the curved shapes and the flaming engines on the back are an unusual inclusion, potentially endangering the reindeer.
This animal component was originally designed to depict Harry Potter's stag Patronus from 75945 Expecto Patronum. It therefore seems slightly inaccurate when compared with actual reindeer, although I like the white decoration on its chest and the rubbery antlers look superb. Displaying this reindeer beside the brick-built examples from 10245 Santa's Workshop might appear strange but I hope this animal will become increasingly prevalent.
Overall
10275 Elf Club House reminds me of traditional cuckoo clocks, resembling authentic chalets while heightening certain architectural features. The resulting model looks absolutely brilliant, including impressive external detail and some splendid furniture inside. I think the beds could have been improved but the wrapping station looks especially realistic and I love the outdoor lights, despite some initial reservations.
The functions are enjoyable too, surpassing many other Winter Village sets. The light brick is not particularly outstanding but I am impressed with the waffle oven and tilting beds. The new reindeer is similarly appealing and presumably influenced the price of £84.99 or $99.99 which feels slightly more expensive than other Winter Village products. Nevertheless, this whimsical model is remarkably charming and could be integrated with any winter display.
This set was provided for review by The LEGO Group but the review represents an expression of my own opinions.
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63 comments on this article
The light brick is unnecessary, but very welcome!
I like it! It would be nice if we could get a rerelease of Santa's Workshop at some point to accompany it, especially since it came out some time ago.
I want it just for the deer.
Thank the lord the 18+ is only a guideline. Otherwise over half my collection would not exist if they enforced the age limits as I’d be way too old!
Fingers crossed the Reindeer will be on Bricks & Pieces for a reasonable price, say less than £4 or £5.
Great review on a great set that looks festive and wonderful. Though dare I say last years Gingerbread House was better but this is not a bad set by any means.
The 18+ is more of a signal for the intended audience, in terms of how well they could appreciate the product, rather than actual difficulty. For example some Architecture sets are very simple to build, but probably of no interest to kid.
Although, I don't see much difference between a 14yo and 18yo person in terms of how well a Lego product could fit them, so finding this quite gimmicky. Had the same opinion of the previous 16+ branding too. This set, I could have built it and have fun with it as a 8yo kid or even younger. I was building 8480 Space Shuttle as a 6yo, after all...
Those reindeers are excellent. The old style computer is so well designed too... I guess every child would enjoy to get Santa's elves workshop. I would.
So...Santa is apparently a crappy boss. Who knew? :D
That was quick! The 18+ branding is absurd indeed, not only for this set. Really like that waffle dispenser, looking forward to a video of it. Looks like there's a piece missing from the table lamp in the bedroom btw.
I like it and looking forward to adding it to my WV. None of the common gripes bother me... Of course the elves look the same, they're employees and the green is their uniform. One reindeer is fine IMO and we're sure to see more of these in the future. Another tree? Yeah, another tree and of superior design when compared to previous. I'll likely keep an older tree in the box this year and display this one instead.
The play features are fun but won't get much mileage in my display as it'll sit against the wall because of tight space. Speaking of...this will probably be the first year I have to be selective with what I put out. It was cramped last year...
Looking forward to this but will i'll wait to get it with the Christmas Carol GWP.
Amazing review, as always! Love this tint of humor every time.
I definitely prefer this set over the last year's one, although it looks a bit smaller than the Gingerbread House. (I suppose I just cannot resist any set with lots of sand green bricks in it).
The door, the toys, the tree, the funny balcony and the reindeer are just great!
Those dormers sticking out of the roof look like elf ears!
Last year one was better... Just saying... Completely unbiased comment...
Lol @Catarino! I think this is great and can't wait to pair this with Santa's Workshop. The moving functions are a terrific bonus!
Not mentioned in review, the gifts are references to Ideas sets this year. 21323 Grand Piano and 21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay.
@Darth_studious said:
"I want it just for the deer."
And the computer.
Based on the scaling of certain sections of the toy ship, along with its colour pallets, I’d wager a guess to say that it’s a model of 10710 Metalbeard’s Sea Cow from The LEGO Movie sets!
Also, I like to think the jet-powered sleigh is a reference to the classic Beach Boys song, “Little Saint Nick”
I like this very festive set but I'm gonna bricklink or brickowl a handful of the parts I,e the Elves, the brown fences, Reindeer and the black lattice windows... maybe some of the transparent bits hung off the roof!!
Am I the only one that prefers brick-built reindeer? This one looks like a duplo piece to me.
@Catarino the Gingerbread House was brilliant!
The roof is very well done, and gives lots of internal space. If the external fairy lights were able to light up using leds then it would look great on display. I will miss the blocky reindeer from Santa's Workshop though.
"This function is certainly entertaining but does provoke questions concerning the elves' working conditions."
LOL :-)
That is a very surprised-looking reindeer...
Any chance they make a large, elaborate Santa's Sleigh with 8 (or 9) reindeer pieces? I think that would sell really well, even if it was a departure from the usual buildings.
That computer is a fantastic build, although the creator hasn't the faintest clue as to how waffles are actually made.
THIS IS STILL NOT A REINDEER!
Wrong colour, marking, antlers, snout, body shape and stance...
But still a cute stag/deer...
Lovely, Winter Village sets never cease to warm my heart and make me look forward to the holidays.
My only real major critique would be that the string of lights look way, way out of proportion. Should've just used the old tried-and-true method with regular studs seen in the Bakery, Cottage and Santa's Workshop WV sets.
Yep, it's a stag, not a reindeer - no more than painting a German Shepherd black and white makes it a Dalmatian! Also really hate these Christmas trees that leave you with a pile of unpaired right-hand wedge plates.
It does look good though overall, but the price is, as always, ludicrous. At least give us some freebies with the purchase...
This is rather a let-down. The pre-18+ box art has always been a staple of Creator Expert, now we don't get any of that. also given the size of this, $69.99 seems more reasonable.
Why is it when you get older everything stops being colorful? That’s kinda how I feel about the $18+ box art. Come on LEGO, it’s Christmas time! It’s a time to spread cheer, put up lights, play in the snow, have fun and be nice to folks! A building in the middle of the void is kinda the opposite of that to me.
As for the set itself, I think you have just about everything for a Christmas display. All that’s left is to have Santa himself involved.
They seem to veer into the fantasy direction.
The sleigh Made me think they could make a sleigh repair/work shop to fit in the traditional theme.
.... runs off to ideas....
@Snazzy_Bricks said:
"This is rather a let-down. The pre-18+ box art has always been a staple of Creator Expert, now we don't get any of that. also given the size of this, $69.99 seems more reasonable."
Given the piece count of 1197, $99 is totally reasonable. Also how many people display the boxes? The Christmas stuff seems like the least likely for the boxes to matter. People set up winter villages with the sets, not the cardboard.
This looks amazing! I'm down for that waffle-dispenser AND the computer. The star on the tree looks a little sizey, but otherwise, this appears to be a swell set!
BTW, that pirate ship looks kinda similar to Metalbeard's Sea Cow.
"However, twisting the printed clock beneath the beds will cause them to tilt forwards, ejecting their occupants! This function is certainly entertaining but does provoke questions concerning the elves' working conditions."
Nice xD
The set is only missing a Legolas minfigure . . .
...and again, at least two shades of sand green. Lighter for the 1x2x2 slopes and darker for the rest of it. It spoils it for me :/
CapnRex101: This function is certainly entertaining but does provoke questions concerning the elves' working conditions.
Me: AHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAH!!!
Finally! After so many other reveals, I wondered when we would finally get Lego's official press release and a review for this set. This is definitely a must-have set and will go well with the Santa's Workshop and Gingerbread House sets from recent years.
@blogzilly said:
"So...Santa is apparently a crappy boss. Who knew? :D"
Santa’s probably tied up with various other facilities. This reeks of an unseen Krampus Bigfig, now relegated to a low level management position.
This set gives me more bunkhouse-vibes than clubhouse-vibes. When I think clubhouse, I think of things like a pool table, TV, little commissary area for snacks, that sort of thing. This is more like where the elves go to sleep after their shifts.
With that said, I still enjoy it, however I'm not sure it squares up to some of the Winter Village line's previous successors.
Great set! The only thing missing is an alt tile/sticker that says "Naughty List".
I really dislike the box art, and in addition to everyone else's complaints, the renders look bad. What happened to good old photography? But box art can't bring down a quality set (unless it's Hidden Side...)
"Elf Club House reminds me of traditional cuckoo clocks"
Someone needs to make a cuckoo clock Ideas submission. I'm surprised we haven't seen one already.
@Darth_Dee:
Nope. On review, they've determined that there are just too many names to make dealing with both lists feasible. You see the entirety of the 2020 Nice List on the screen right there, with no scrolling necessary. Huge timesaver doing it that way.
“ However, twisting the printed clock beneath the beds will cause them to tilt forwards, ejecting their occupants! This function is certainly entertaining but does provoke questions concerning the elves' working conditions.”
Warning of TMI
4:40am - think I’ve woke for the loo but as sweating bad realise I’ve gone 8hrs cold turkey so straight on to lego site - search ‘Lego’, filter coming soon & there it is!! Straight on here an relieved to immediately find this review. Get to the above statement, laugh very loud, waking both dogs and discovering I did need the loo after all! ;-D x
Great review as always, love your dry humour! I’ll definitely be buying & sure they’ll be living not far from the Gingerbreads x I prefer the fantasy side of lego so I’m really enjoying the new winter village sets steering away from the more generic modular/city type buildings. Thanks again, great to start the day with a smile/laugh :-)
@Jacopyright said:
"THIS IS STILL NOT A REINDEER!
Wrong colour, marking, antlers, snout, body shape and stance...
But still a cute stag/deer..."
@Joefish said:
"Yep, it's a stag, not a reindeer - no more than painting a German Shepherd black and white makes it a Dalmatian! Also really hate these Christmas trees that leave you with a pile of unpaired right-hand wedge plates.
It does look good though overall, but the price is, as always, ludicrous. At least give us some freebies with the purchase..."
It is what I like to call an American reindeer ;)
Americans for some reason like to change every deer species into white-tailed deer. They did it with Bambi who originally is a roe deer and they do it with Santa's reindeer at least the color of them.
So since this is a red deer mould from HP with white-tailed deer fur posing as a reindeer = American reindeer :P
I hope the mould will come in proper red deer colors in the future..
However beggars can't be choosers and since this is our first minifig sized deer in Lego I plan to buy a hole herd :D
Love it
@Roebuck said:
"It is what I like to call an American reindeer ;)
Americans for some reason like to change every deer species into white-tailed deer. They did it with Bambi who originally is a roe deer and they do it with Santa's reindeer at least the color of them.
So since this is a red deer mould from HP with white-tailed deer fur posing as a reindeer = American reindeer :P
I hope the mould will come in proper red deer colors in the future..
However beggars can't be choosers and since this is our first minifig sized deer in Lego I plan to buy a hole herd :D"
Perhaps we can call them "Christmas Deer" instead of "Reindeer"? :-D
@Jacopyright said:
"THIS IS STILL NOT A REINDEER!
Wrong colour, marking, antlers, snout, body shape and stance...
But still a cute stag/deer..."
Indeed. I just don't get why LEGO, a Scandinavian company no less, is trying to sell us a stag as a reindeer. Total BS.
Everyone who has ever seen a real reindeer should know that this animal looks nothing like one.
Thankfully this set isn't for me anyway, as I don't like all this fantasy stuff. I prefer proper Winter Village sets that deserve the name. This looks rather more fitting for something like a winter Disneyland scene, just like last year's set, which was even more unrealistic. At least this one is much easier to modify into something not so outlandish.
I don't think Denmark has free roaming reindeer.
Superb! Day one purchase for me :-)
Im getting this for sure!!!
@Meowzap77 said:
"The light brick is unnecessary, but very welcome!"
Indeed!
This is by far my favorite winter village set and probably one of the sets lego ever at this price range. It's so visually striking, cleverly designed and has so much personality.
Based on the quality of this set it's probably only a matter of time before chris designs a modular building and I for one can't wait!
Looks like fun. The building is lovely and the new torso print is gorgeous. I just hope it is in stock here in Australia when the Christmas GWP becomes available.
This set is available in US For vip’s now. Just placed my order.
As did I. Didn't even have to stay up late.
Huh. You know, I actually quite like this set now?
I've not really followed the Winter Village theme before, and this didn't appeal to me at all on the reveal; but seeing it up close now, it kinda just looks really nice? I'm not big on the elves, I've no idea when they became Christmas icons; but at the same time, I could easily imagine switching them out for standard minifigures, to give it a more realistic occupancy. And the details and overall design are genuinely attractive.
The lack of variation in the torso prints does bug me a little... I suppose it makes sense that elves would all dress the same, but I think giving them unique variations, even if the same basic design was adhered to, would have given them more personality - particularly from the perspective of someone who'd rather switch out the hats for hairpieces to make them into more standard child characters instead. Varied outfits would certainly work better in that case.
I dunno if I'll actually get it, but. It's definitely a lot more appealing than I was expecting it to be. Thanks for the great review, as always! ^^
@CopperTablet said:
"That computer is a fantastic build, although the creator hasn't the faintest clue as to how waffles are actually made."
Maybe they’re Eggos
@WemWem said:
"Any chance they make a large, elaborate Santa's Sleigh with 8 (or 9) reindeer pieces? I think that would sell really well, even if it was a departure from the usual buildings."
I'd love to see a full sleigh with Santa Claus, preferably with an actual house/rooftop you could place it on and a gimmick where Santa can go through the chimney. The set could have bedrooms for sleeping children and parents (two of each) and a living room with a fireplace, Christmas tree, stockings, a comfy chair, and a nice glass of milk and cookies for old Saint Nick. Maybe eight or nine reindeer would be too much, because it would require quite a large house, but four or five may work out well. An additional elf or two to help Santa out would be great.
They should have boosted sales by making 1 in 9 reindeers with a red nose...
@cabbie:
Makes sense. North pole, frozen waffles... All you really need to do is build an enclosure to keep out the polar bears, and you've got free storage for perishables. However, the only set we know of for sure that has Eggo waffles is The Upside Down, and the print is unique to that set. This is a similar print that's not as dark, which has been used in four other sets so far (including The Burrow, home of the Weasleys). You could argue that they're just two different flavors of Eggo waffles, but you can't prove it empirically.
@stratiformus:
Don't give them any stupid ideas!
I hope there's not a serious accident nearby, as the elves seem to have nicked a warning light from the local roadworks for the top of their Christmas tree!
Great review, I like the reindeer so much. The waffle action also impressive. Still like the gingerbread house a bit more though. More on how I feel about this: https://youtu.be/NJovgDRdlf4
I'm not really a big fan of the "fantasy" winter village sets. I could see the Santa's Workshop still fitting in like a Christmas themed store, but last years Gingerbread House and this year's Elf Club House just don't fit realistically.
I do wish I could still buy the older sets like the Post Office or the Bakery, or the Cottage. All of which expired before I started noticing that theme.
If they want to keep going with the fantasy sets I'd like to see them split the theme and have two sets per year: the North Pole Fantasy sets and the regular Winter Village sets.