Review: 40058 Decorating The Tree
Posted by Huw,Christmas sets are a relatively new phenomenon. Before 1999 or so, we were lucky to see a single Santa polybag each year, and even then they were not readily available. These days we are spoiled for choice, what with the winter village sets, Advent calendars, free sets from shop.LEGO.com and holiday-themed polybags. It's perhaps surprising that it took LEGO so long to cotton on to their potential.
This set 40058, Decorating The Tree, is one of this year's two Christmas polybags, and also one of four season-themed polybags we've enjoyed this year (40052 Springtime scene, 40054 Summer Scene and 40057 Fall Scene).
It consists of a tree, five presents, a little girl and a hapless dad fixing the lights on it using a stepladder. The tree is of the 'three-pronged' variety which makes use of Technic Rotor, 3 Blades to fix the branches at 120 degrees rather than 90. It's been used for this purpose many times before, at least since 2009 (in 30009), so it's perhaps a shame that it hasn't been made in green yet, I'm sure the tree would look much better if it was.
The minifigs are pretty good: dad has a nice plaid shirt on, but those red trousers have made an appearance again, but at least they are dark red this time!
For a polybag it has a high piece count -- 110 -- which is one of the highest (if we exclude the huge MBA ones), although admittedly many are 1x1 pieces.
It's a neat little set that will grace your desk or mantelpiece over the holiday period.
Thanks to the team over at Brick A Brac, who specialise in end-of-line and rare/exclusive sets, for sending me this and 40059 to review. They currently have an exclusive offer for Brickset readers: Mindstorms EV3 for just £199, that's £100 off the RRP. Go and check out their website if you're interested in finding out more.
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15 comments on this article
Thanks for the review. I really like this set a lot so I'm going to get one soon.
Thank you kindly for another entertaining and informative review, Huw! I've really enjoyed the Seasonal polys this year - Spring Scene and Autumn (sorry, I'm British, I simply cannot call it "Fall" :-) Scene being my favourites, Summer Scene my least favourite (but I love the sandcastle); and despite it not being "my" holiday, 40056 Thanksgiving Feast is a particular joy. While I wouldn't want either near-remakes of this year's versions, nor the rapid removal of the current polys from production, I do hope TLG manages to find enough differences to add to the theme next year!
Hey Huw, I'll be getting the City Advent Calendar again this year. I trust I can rely on you to provide the daily reviews as you so excellently did last year?
That mini train is brilliant, great combination of that oooooold camera/rocket-booster piece and the sparkly new 1x1 round tile.
And is it me or have the wrapped presents jumped a few evolutionary steps this year? Maybe I just don't keep up with them all that well, but the variety of shapes and colours looks a long way ahead of previous versions, and somehow they don't look a clumsily blocky as older ones, if you know what I mean.
The gray rotors look a bit like tinsel to me.
Brown would look better than green, that is if the tree they're using is real not plastic. Green would work if it's an artificial tree.
I really love that LEGO has been making these seasonal and holiday polybags! I just wish that they would sell them at other retail stores like Target or Toysrus considering the nearest LEGO store is an hour and a half away. :/
Nice little set, I'll have to try and pick one up.
Outter Rim: I feel your pain as mine is just over 3 hours away. Thankfully I make trips up this way for other reasons about 3-4 times a year. Happened to pick up this little bag today in fact, along with 5 Santa sleighs. Combined with 4 of last year's Santa's sleighs I'll have the full team of reindeer now.
I predict that TLG will be making more of these bags. People love them. They fly off the shelves as long as they are at the right price point. If they get over the say $9.99 mark I think TLG has a slam dunk. I personally have gotten a few of each of the bags. A couple to build, a couple to part out for future builds and the rest to hold for general gifts.
I agree with Toa, it looks like a little tinsel garland. If it were all green I believe it would make the tree look a little bare.
I actually really like these seasonal polybags. I loved the summer, spring and autumn ones. It seems we're spoiled for choice in terms of Christmas ones, as usual. But I'll definitely be trying to pick this one up.
So...there won't be a set called "Winter Scene"?
This set is very nice and works well with the holiday collections. However, it does have some small issues.
The ladder is built strangely and would be much better with the addition of two more 1x4 thin bricks. The absence of these two pieces makes the ladder look like it was built incorrectly and lacks in symmetry.
The little girl and dad are very non-creative mini figures. The girl's hair piece does not look right with her.
The tree is nice, but the use of the gray three prong rotors lacks originality. They should be green or brown as other forum members have discussed.
In the instructions, all of the tree branches except one have a white 1x1 round piece on the underside with a colored 1x1 round piece on top of it. Why was this one branch left out? Again, it looks like a mistake.
Quite a nice little set. Using it for my winter village.