REVIEW: Advent calendar 22 December 2024

We are on the home stretch, opening the third last door today. The Great Hall looks great and there isn’t really much missing from there, so I wonder what we might get. Maybe one more minifigure? Please, don’t let it be more Christmas crackers though. If you are curious, read on to see what we got…

No Christmas crackers thankfully! An no minifigure either – but rather, once again, a bag of parts.

In the bag we find 16 pieces (of which three are spares). It is probably in the the upper end of what we have had in the calendar so far, and some rather large bricks in it too. But it does feel a bit underwhelming compared to what we had got used to with the recent models.

From the bricks, you can build a table. It is larger than the four we already have for each of the Hogwarts houses. Maybe this is for the teachers (though that really ought to only have seats on one side) or a buffet table to be filled with food (though that wouldn’t have any seats at all)? Or maybe for the kitchen downstairs, where elves are busy working preparing the food before it magically appears on the tables upstairs in the Great Hall?

Maybe tomorrow will give us the answer? For now, I’ll be giving it to professor Flitwick as the table for the teachers.

Yesterday’s model revisited

Before I award the model any house points, let’s go back and revisit yesterday’s model. It was a Christmas garland between two posts. I wasn’t too happy with it, though being rather generous with parts, I did score it above average. But a reader made me aware that the garland could be split into two parts, with each of those being attached to the fireplace we built the day before (which I complained about missed Christmas decorations).

As a side note here (which frequent readers will be aware of), I love surprises, so when I get an advent calendar, I try to avoid looking at the front and back. But apparently, this combined model is shown on the box.

Here is the combined model from 20 and 21 December. It does look pretty amazing, and better than the two models set up separately.

Splitting up the garland gives you a spare 1×2 plate with rounded corners, which you can put behind the extra portrait we got with Professor Flitwick, so it can stand up, balancing itself as seen here below to the right. .

Summary

Compared to the two previous days, the table isn’t that inspiring. Hopefully there will be added to it tomorrow – and that may also reveal what the table is to be used for. The purple desk top doesn’t really help me figuring it out. While it does have a candle and a Christmas decoration, it is rather bare as it is.

The model design is the same as the previous four tables we’ve had, just 2 studs longer. In a way, it makes it less interesting, but I do however like it for consistency. Overall, this somewhat boring model will get 3 out of five house points, held up by a decent part count and larger parts than usual.

Two more days now – what will they bring? The table we got today isn’t finished it appears. I think we might get something tomorrow that will go on that. More food? Or something else (please no crackers) for the big Christmas feast that is about to happen? Check back tomorrow on the 2024 Advent Calendar page to see what we got.

Till then, Build the Magic!