REVIEW: Advent Calendar 11 December 2020

Another December morning and another door to open on the Advent calendar. It was been a good start, but can it keep up the standard? Here is what we got today…

Today we got a fireplace, suitable both for the Great Hall and the Gryffindor common room. Based on its size it is probably best for the latter though.

But it’s not just a fireplace. It comes with a Christmas stocking and that is (apart from the minifigures) the first direct reference to Christmas we have seen in this calendar (though the gramophone used for practising the waltz for the Yule Ball, was a strong indirect reference).

11 December model

When I pulled the small plastic bag from behind today’s door, the first thing I noted was the number of parts in included. We have had a couple of rather small models lately, but today we had no less than 27 pieces (six of them were spares).

Built from 21 parts, the model is substantial and looks well, in particular the roaring fire and the Christmas stocking hanging above. Apart from the red 2×2 corner plate, you get enough spares to make another stocking (though you cannot fit any more above this fireplace).

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It would have been really cool with the stocking in the colours of Gryffindor (or any of the other Hogwarts houses). Or a tile in fireplace with Sirius Black‘s head. But we can’t complain, given how many parts that are already there. And we can still imagine he’s there.

So where does this leave us? It is a typical advent calendar model, but well executed, many parts and the stocking in particular is adding a nice Christmas touch. So while it may not be new and original, I will still give it five out of five housepoints.

Following this, I wonder what tomorrow may bring? A chair or another couch for the Gryffindor room (so Ron has a place to sit), or something else? Check back on the Advent calendar review page tomorrow to see…

Till then, Build the Magic!