I made a simple (perhaps too simple?) jetpack for Becky. It was long overdue. She’s thrilled, as you can clearly see by her facial expression.

Yesterday’s fantastic introduction of Trudy Tinsel Evergreen leads me to believe that today’s item will be simple at best, and frustratingly simple at worst.

I’ve been wrong before. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to predict what manner of Lego is waiting behind the cardboard doors. Part of me is worried that one day, maybe today or tomorrow but certainly not on Christmas Eve, the calendar will spit out another bench. In fact, I’m willing to bet $4 that there is another bench somewhere in the calendar. Seems odd if the table has only one bench. I don’t want another bench. I’d be happy with only one bench. But in the next 13 days, I will surely find bench #2.

Is that day today? Continue reading →

It snowed! We didn’t get a lot of snow this morning, but enough to make everyone hibernate for twelve hours. SNOW DAY!

As an added bonus, today’s Lego item is…well…

Good things come to those who wait. While today’s item is not a Mrs. Claus, what lived behind door #10 of the Lego Advent Calendar has been an item long desired. It is the Lego creation I coveted from the first time I saw my very first Lego calendar box.

To say more would ruin the surprise. Continue reading →

Look, today’s Lego item is the worst of the calendar, so far. I could spend many words explaining why it’s a lousy item and I could harness the powers of exclamation points to punctuate my disappointment. That’s what I would have done last year.

But this year I’m happy.

This year I’m embracing even the crappiest of Lego prizes.

Today’s item is… Continue reading →

If you know me, you know I love clear Lego pieces. They are less toy bricks than magical crystals. When I get a clear Lego piece, I hold up it to my eye for close inspection, as if I were a jeweler, archaeologist, or world-class thief. I stare at it and wonder: How did they harden the air?!

Clear Lego pieces make everything better.

Today’s Lego item contains such pieces. (And more!) Continue reading →

Today’s item isn’t great. No one will write songs about. It won’t make it into the Lego Museum. And it’s the item I’m sure to forget about by tomorrow morning.

All that said, today’s item isn’t horrible. It isn’t a Lego Mop. It isn’t a Lego Purse. So I’m happy with it. Or rather, I’m not angry with it.

We knew the Lego would start spitting out losers soon, so this should come as no surprise.

Ready?

Set!

Open!
Continue reading →

Before we open the calendar, take twelve minutes and listen to “The Christmas Unicorn” by Sufjan Stevens.

I like Christmas music, and have plenty of traditional songs including about 18 different versions of Silent Night. When an artist puts out a Christmas album, they usually sing the standards everyone expects: Little Drummer Boy, O Holy Night, some version of Jingle Bell Rock, etc.

I prefer when an artist makes an entirely new Christmas song and “The Christmas Unicorn” is a unique beast (both the song and the creature.) I’m not a Sufjan Stevens fan, but this song is one of my favorite new holiday carols. It’s weird, some might even call it annoying, but I like it. I love the way it builds and builds, and my favorite part comes about three minutes in, after the lyrical section is through and the chorus just keeps going and going.

Listen to it and dance in your chair as we discover today’s Lego item! Continue reading →

The Lego Calendar has been kind to us so far, which means it will soon fart out some nonsense that will send me into a rage of disappointment. Could that happen today? Probably. Five days in means the sucky-suck item must be near.

I’m mentally and physically prepared. I’m ready for whatever the Lego elves placed behind door #5.

Let’s rip this open… Continue reading →

I was in New York today for a meeting. That’s why today’s post is late. While in New York, I walked past the Lego store in Rockefeller Center. That’s where I saw this….

While everyone else in Rockefeller Center was taking photos of the tree (which is being lit tonight), I took a picture of a bricky Santa. Sadly, he didn’t wave back.

I thought of marching into the Lego store to ask, “Where the hell is the Mrs. Claus in the Advent Calendar?” But the area was too crowded and my throat hurt and I’m shy, and hungry.

On to today’s Lego item! Continue reading →

I shouldn’t say this because it will jinx, curse, and hex the entire calendar, but so far the 2013 Lego Advent experience has been good, leaning towards great. I love Officer Mickey Duck and his handy, dandy fireplace.

Or maybe I’m just in a good mood because December is only three days old and I’m already filled with Christmas cheer. I decorated yesterday and listened to hours of awful holiday music. Then I watched Rise of the Guardians while eating chocolate-covered pretzels by the fistful.

Rise of the Guardians is only a great holiday movie if you’re in the right mood. Had I seen it under other circumstances (if I were cranky, headachey, tired, bored, busy, somber, jealous, hungry, rubbery, etc.), the movie would have sucked. The story is your basic “Children need to believe” crap, and I’m not even sure I understood the plot. But after listening to a day’s worth of Christmas music, and decorating so hard I built up a sweat, Rise of the Guardians was a great way to end the night. And it’s beautiful to look at. Even if you hate the story, mute the entire movie and let it play in the background.

Sorry for the movie review tangent.

Lego time! What’s behind today’s door? Continue reading →

I love Christmas music, but I hate when an artist takes a slow Christmas song and tries to make it sound even sadder and more dramatic by decreasing the already melancholy tempo. I’m surprised there isn’t a 20-minute version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” I would link to an example, but I’m too happy to hunt down sad Christmas cover songs. When you hear one on the radio, you can stop and say, “Ah! That’s what Dan meant! I shall tell him immediately!”

Today’s Lego item is pretty great. It’s something we’ve seen before, but it’s a necessary part of the Santa Mythos. As such, I welcome it with open arms! Continue reading →