Set Review - Creator Expert - Brick Bank - #10251 - Part 2

In case you missed part 1 of the review, it's here.

With 2380 pieces and 20 bags of LEGOs, this set takes a while to build.  After a few days, I was finally able to put it together.  Here goes...

There are the contents.  A pretty thick instruction booklet that comes in a wrapped package for protection, a tan base plate, and 4 sets of bags (20 total).  This set also comes with a brick separator which comes in handy given the number of pieces.

The first set of bags is the tiles for the sidewalk and floors along with the start to the first floor.

The designs for the floors inside the cleaner and bank are awesome.  Some new pieces were used to make the design inside of the bank part.  You can also see the start to the vault to include a vault that opens and closes with a dial.  The vault has a stack of cash... all $100s of course.  The first set of bags comes with one minifigure who is shown working as a bank teller.

The Brick Bank is a corner building.  The bank side is shown here with the second set of bags complete.  It comes with 2 minifigures, a girl and a woman.  The box shows the woman taking a picture of the girl receiving a check for 500 studs.  You can also see some of the great design features used to make this set stand out.  You'll also notice that there is a decal on the windows.  If you were paying attention, I didn't mention a sticker sheet.  YES!!!  No stickers in this set, everything is already printed on.

Here is the other side of the bank and "Soap 'n' Suds" the laundromat.  The advertising on the laundromat is fun with a pair of pants and a washing machine.

Here is a top view of the set with the second set of bags completed.  The vault is complete although you'll notice there is a way for a potential thief to sneak into the vault through a shaft above.  Also, the laundromat has 4 machines to include one for "laundering" your money.  

The third set of bags complete here with the second floor done.  The second floor has 2 office spaces to include a private office.  The chimney continues to allow a thief down to the vault.  2 more minifigures come with this set of bags.  They are both male figures.  One is shown in the office stamping and another is shown just outside the office at another desk.

Here is the other side of the building.  You can see the clock attached to the building and the design of the front of the building to include the textured pillars and the window designs.

Here is the final set .  The top has a large sky light.  Also the picture doesn't show it, but there is a cool looking chandelier that lights the building.  You can also see included is a ladder, broom, and bucket so someone can clean the windows.  

Here is the front of the building from a corner view.  You can see the tree, bench, and lamp post outside.  Also, there is a pulley that the box shows as a way for them to install the laundry machine on the signage.  It could also be used for a thief trying to climb up.  I don't have it shown, but the set include a LEGO string, black hat, and scarf for one of the characters to put on and sneak into the vault through the chimney.

I have other modulars, but many are boxed up as I don't have space to have them displayed all the time.  Here is the Detective's Office from last year attached to the Brick Bank.  Both fantastic sets with some creative building techniques.  The Brick Bank does not disappoint.  While you have to shell out some extra cash to get it, it's well worth it.  It's a challenging build with some interesting building techniques.  For those people that like to build MOCs, there are some great pieces in here for building future designs.  

Well done LEGO on another great modular building!

Set Review - Creator Expert - Brick Bank - #10251 - Part 1

(CLICK HERE FOR PART 2 OF THE REVIEW.)

The LEGO modular building line was started in 2007 and I am a huge fan!  Each set typically has more than 1,000 pieces and many have over 2,000 pieces.  As they have continued to be released, the details have become even more impressive. You don't buy these sets for the minifigures (they exist, but have the standard yellow face), you buy them for the build.  

This year's set is the Brick Bank.  It contains 2,380 pieces and costs $169.99 in the US. This works out to $0.07 per piece (it's actually .07142 and so on, but I figured you all weren't too concerned about that).  Not a bad price at all in terms of price per piece.  It was released on 2 January 2016 and LEGO keeps them out for a few years (some have been on sale for 4 years, others less).  Often times it's best to wait for Double VIP point promotions or other details, but in this case I was given some LEGO gift cards as Christmas gifts so I decided to order it sooner rather than wait for Double VIP points.  

I haven't had a chance to open it yet.  I'll release details on set contents and the build in a future post.  For now, here is the box.

As you can see from the front, it contains 5 minifigures and the build is split into 2 floors and a roof.  The front of the building is the bank and then along the back, it's a laundromat.  It's a corner building similar to the Cafe Corner, Grand Emporium, and Palace Cinema.  If you're not familiar with the modular buildings, along the bottom of the building are Technic pins that can be attached to other modular buildings (or you can build your own).  

The back of the box shows some details of the set, the different floors, and what the set looks like next to previous years modular buildings.  This box shows the Detective's Office (and here) as well as the Parisian Restaurant.  I'll go into some of the fun details of the build once I build it.

Has anyone else purchased or built it yet?  Let me know in the comments.

CLICK HERE FOR PART 2 OF THE REVIEW.

Set Review - Clash of the Heroes - #76044

Okay, so I'll admit it... I don't follow Super Heroes much.  DC Comics and Marvel are not at the top of my list.  I'll be the first to admit that I don't know why Batman and Superman are fighting.  Shouldn't they be on the same side?  I should probably look that up.

In the meantime, I do follow LEGO and the sets LEGO releases.  Released on 2 January 2016, the Clash of the Heroes contains 92 pieces and 2 minifigures.  It has an armored Batman and then Superman.  Batman's head glows in the dark and has 2 different facial expressions.  Superman has the same to include one with a normal looking face and one with red eyes.  The set cost $12.99 brand new and I have yet to see it advertised for sale anywhere.  That works out to be $0.14 per piece which is rather high, but the norm for some of the smaller sets like this one.

Here is what the box looks like:

Nothing special about the box.  It shows the set on the front and the back shows some of its features to include the "super jumper" (a plastic piece that lets a figure "jump") and a Technic piece add on that allows Batman to "jump" towards Superman.

Here are the contents.  A sticker sheet with one sticker... I can't complain I guess.  There's an instruction booklet, 2 parts bags, and a larger part outside the bag.

There's an armored Batman. He comes with armor and some weapons.

This is the first instance of this Superman figure.  I only picture the figure this way, but you can rotate the head to see another face.  The same goes for Batman.

The build is fairly simple and straight forward.  The pieces are not bad, but I wouldn't buy the set just for the pieces.  Having the Bat Signal is pretty neat, but it doesn't justify the higher price either.  Here is what the final set looks like.

You'll notice behind where Batman is in the picture, there is a Technic pin.  If you put Batman in front of it and move the pin, he can "jump" forward.  The clear piece in the front of the picture is the "super jumper" so Superman can "leap" at Batman.  I noticed this feature last year, but maybe it has been around for a while.  Either way, it doesn't do much for me.  Maybe for the younger audience it has an appeal.  I tried it and Superman doesn't jump really well.  I recommend using your imagination and picking up Superman with your hand to pretend he is flying at Batman.  That way you can make a fun swooping noise with your mouth too.  Back to the intro of this post... why are they fighting anyways?  The joy of LEGO... I can always turn this set into a cafe where Superman and Batman meet up for some coffee and donuts.  

So my final opinion on this set.  Get this if you want the minifigures.  The build itself is rather simple and it is geared towards kids as opposed to an old kid like me.  The parts can be found elsewhere and if you want the Bat Signal, I'm sure you can find it online.  The minifigures are pretty good though Batman and Superman have come in various forms and these are pretty impressive.  Also, watch for chances to catch the set on sale.

The 2 heroes from this set are below if you are interested in them as well as some other versions for sale in the store on BrickLink.  

Bricks for Pencils of Promise

Bricks for Bricks is always looking for local groups to help out with, but we've decided to support some larger groups as well since our online sales will not always be from people in the local area.  With that being said, the first group we have decided to support is Pencils of Promise.  Have you ever heard of it?  Pencils of Promise was founded in October 2008 by Adam Braun.  While traveling in India, he asked a boy what he wanted most in the world.  The boy responded that he wanted a pencil.  Adam handed the boy a pencil and so it began.  Since then, Adam put together a team that collects funds to build schools in Guatemala, Ghana, Laos, and Nicaragua.  Besides building schools (329 finished since 2009), they provide support to teachers, water and health programs for the school, and scholarships for students.  If you want to see more about them, you can visit the Pencils of Promise site here.  

So what's the plan?  Bricks for Bricks is focused on giving back.  In the past year or so of operations, we've given a small amount of funds to various local groups by participating in sales at their fundraising events.  Now that we're selling online, it's time to reach out to help a wider audience.  Why not help people around the world?  So here is the announcement...

Starting today, 24 January 2016, bricks for bricks will be giving 15% of our profits to Pencils of Promise.

Pencils of Promise lists a number of goal amounts:
-$25 provides educational opportunities for 1 student
-$500 supports a teacher
-$10,000 provides a WASH (Water Sanitation, and Hygiene) for a school
-$25,000 builds a Pencils of Promise school

So what can we do?  Support a few students?  Support a classroom of students?  Support the class and their teacher?  Keep the class healthy?  Build a school?

What can you do?  Just check out our STORE and get the minifigures you were looking for.  We'll track our profits and give 15% to Pencils of Promise.  Simple as that.  No extra work required.

One other bonus...

Starting today until our supply is exhausted, we'll give a free brick separator to anyone making a purchase of $25 or more.

Brick separators are sold by LEGO for $2.49.

250 million children worldwide lack basic reading, writing, and math skills.  Together we can change that.  Every purchase can help make a difference.  Thank you for your support!

Set Review - Kwik-E-Mart - #71016

I finally finished my building backlog.  I've had this set since this summer and it is now completed.  The question I now need to answer is where do I put all of these sets.  Some day I hope to live in a place that has a giant basement that I can engulf with LEGO.  In the meantime, I will probably have to break all of these sets down and store them for the future.

Onto business... In 2014, LEGO released The Simpson's House.  A minifigure scale size home that looks pretty darn close to the one you see on TV.  The 2015 Simpson's set is the Kwik-E-Mart run by Apu.  It was released on 2 May 2015 and contains 2,179 pieces.  It has 6 minifigures, which include Homer, Bart (with a spray paint can), Marge with a shopping bag, Chief Wiggum (with a club and handcuffs), Apu Nahasapeemapetilo (yes, I had to look that one up... he has a mop to clean the floor), and Snake Jailbird.  If you just want minifigures, LEGO has released 2 collectible minifigure series sets.  Series 2 was released in 2015 and was sold out after Christmas this past year.  I have a number of figures from series 1 and series 2 in my store if you are still looking for them.   The Kwik-E-Mart is $199.99 in the US which works out to be about $0.092 per piece.  While not the greatest price, it's not too bad considering it is a licensed set.

Here are the pictures of the box.  It's a pretty large box.  The front has the standard full picture of the set while the back shows some details of the build.

Here are the contents.  I counted 17 bags total.  Plus some loose large pieces.  There is also a large instruction book and 2 pages of stickers.  There are some great pieces in this set in some great colors.  The only thing that really bothered me was the stickers.  I understand that it is probably a cost savings as it is cheaper to put stickers on then to print on parts, but it is a real pain to put stickers on parts.  That's just my opinion...  This set has a lot of stickers to add detail so if you buy it, get ready.

The first set of bags is Chief Wiggum, his car, and Snake Jailbird along with a piece separator.  The police car is a similar size, shape, and build to the Simpson's car from the Simpson's House set if you are familiar with it.  

The next set of bags gets started on the store.  The freezer and the cashier's area are included.

Here is more of the build.  The outside includes an area for the dumpster that has a door that opens.  There are also some fun arcade games, a drink dispenser, magazines, and a few other interesting details.

I didn't take pictures at every step of the way, but this stage shows how the back of the store attaches.  It hinges out so you can have access to the store on both sides.  I have a final picture with the back open later.  Homer is picture as well.  He just comes as shown, but I'm sure you could find some donuts with pink frosting in the store to put in his hands.

A little later in the build here... The Kwik-E-Mart sign is an interesting design.  The "E" is made of LEGO plates and then the rest of the sign is 2 larger stickers.  I can't complain as I'm sure it would have been much more challenging to build the whole sign out of bricks.

Here is the final set with the roof on.  I haven't watched the show enough to know that Apu grows plants on the roof.

Here is the final set with the roof removed.  You can see how the back of the store opens up to get access to it.  

Here's a few of the inside looking in from the back.  You can see a bit more of the detail to include the security cameras, donuts, and some of the items for sale.  The designers did a good job coming up with different items to sell, but as you can see there are a lot of stickers throughout the set.

Overall it's a pretty good replica of the Kwik-E-Mart from the show.  Even if you don't like the set, it comes with a lot of great pieces if you want to take it apart and build something on your own.  LEGO has been putting out more sets priced $100 or more recently.  This is most likely to cater to adult fans.  While some of these are great sets, the prices definitely keep some of the fan base out of the sets.  I'm not a raving Simpson's fan, but as an adult it's been fun to watch every now and then (definitely not a kid appropriate show).  Fans of the show should definitely look into getting this set.  The build was full of details and looks realistic compared to the show.  The only downside of the set to me was the large amount of stickers.  I'm not a fan of stickers on LEGO sets and I always have trouble putting them on straight.  

If you have the set, post in the comments and let me know what you think.

Happy 2016!

It's been a bit since I've posted.  You saw a lot of posts around the holiday period because I took some time off from my day job and got to spend more time with my fun job.  I've finished off most of my building backlog minus one set.  I'm working on the Simpson's Kwik-e-Mart set.  It's taken me longer to build since it's a larger set and I've been busy.  I'm taking notes and pictures and will post a review once I'm done.  There are 17 bags and I'm only through around 4 at this point.  A good build so far though.

For those of you that follow the LEGO company and their sales, one big event for them is the day after Christmas.  They put a lot of sets on sale.  You can find some good deals although you have to act fast.  Often times I'll check in the morning on 26 December and most of the sets they had listed are sold out already.  I was able to pick up some Simpson's Series 2 minifigures and a LEGO Movie set at half off.  I also picked up another Rey's Speeder set which means some additional inventory for the store.  

LEGO also released some new sets on 1 January.  There are some new Star Wars - The Force Awakens sets, the new LEGO Nexo Knights, and a few others ones so check them out.  I haven't bought any yet, but will let you know if I do.

I also managed to catch the LEGO Ideas - The Big Bang Theory set on sale at Amazon to add some minifigures to the store inventory.

Were you able to catch any of the sales after Christmas or in the New Year?  Have you purchased any of the new 2016 sets?  Let me know in the comments!

A Fix for WALL-E

I reviewed set number 21303 here.  It is WALL-E from Disney Pixar's movie about the trash collecting robot that ends up helping to save the human race.  Anyways, the original design was somewhat flawed.  WALL-E's eyes kept spinning around and it was tough to lock them into one place.  In reading some of the LEGO fan sites out there, there were a number of reports that a fix was in place.  I wrote to LEGO customer service and received a response back that yes indeed a fix was in place.  A few days later I received a bubble envelope in the mail.  It contained the following items:

-a small parts bag
-an instruction sheet that shows how to prep the set for the fix
-an instruction booklet for the fix

The final set doesn't look much different from a quick glance.  Here it is along with some of the extra parts.

The close up here shows the new ball joint that prevents WALL-E's eyes from randomly rotating around.  In my opinion, the fix was a success and it doesn't change the set's design drastically enough to be an issue.  I also applaud LEGO's handling of the redesign.  I was sent the fix promptly and at no cost.  It shows that LEGO values their customers and wants to make sure their products are of the highest quality.  

If you've purchased WALL-E or done the fix, I'm curious to know what you think.  Please post your thoughts in the comments.

Set Review - Blue Power Jet - #31039

The Blue Power Jet was released in the US on 15 May 2015.  It is a part of the Creator line and contains 608 pieces total.  It costs $69.99 in the US which works out to be 11.5 cents per piece.  In my opinion, this is a bit high.  I found it on sale at Amazon.com for $59.99, which works out to be 9.8 cents per piece.  Right under the average of 10 cents per piece so about average.  If you're interested in this set, I would definitely look for a sale if you can find one.  

As you can see on the box, it comes with 3 separate designs.  There is the jet, a helicopter, and a speed boat.

The set comes with 5 parts bags and a 217 page instruction booklet.  It also comes with a part separator which is $2.49 from LEGO if you buy it separately so you can't complain there.  The bags are not numbered since there are 3 different builds so it takes a bit to find the pieces you need.  It also makes it more fun.  On page 2 of the instruction booklet, it says there are 3 different builds.  There is a "quick build" which is the speed boat, a "medium build" which is the helicopter, and an "advanced build" which is the jet.  For this review, I show the jet version only.  Interestingly enough, the Blue Power Jet looks a lot like the US military's F-35 Lightning II.  

F-35A - Courtesy of www.af.mil.

You'll notice some of the differences pretty quickly.  Besides some of the differences in shape (intakes, bottom of the aircraft, tail), there's the 2 seat cockpit versus the single seat cockpit, and the landing gear being visible.  I'm getting ahead of myself... let's get into the build.  

The build is on the bottom of the picture with all of the pieces above it.  You can see how the front landing gear fits in and you see the use of the Technic pieces to hold it all together.

As the build continues, you can see some of the engine taking place.  This variant looks similar to the F-35B variant that the US Marine Corps will use.  You can see some pictures on Lockheed Martin's Flickr stream here.  You'll notice a few pictures where panels open up so the aircraft can do vertical takeoffs and landings.   In later pictures, you'll see that the top of the LEGO model has panels that open so you can see the engine inside.  Not sure if it's for maintenance purposes or if it's vertical takeoff and landing parts.  

In this photo, you can see the cockpit taking shape.  The front seat has a green 1x1 translucent tile that I assume acts as the Heads-Up-Display or HUD for the pilot.  

In this photo you'll notice that the main part of the fuselage is covered.  There are 2 panels that open up (a picture of them open will be shown later).  Also, one of the wings is installed.  When I started the build, I was confused as to how it was going to work, but in the end it turned out very nice.  My only complaint is that the top is very detailed, the bottom is very plain (another picture seen later).  You'll notice the flaperon as well.  In my opinion, there's a lot of space between the wing and flaperon, but there isn't much you can do with a model this small.  By the way, if you don't know what a flaperon is, it's an aileron that can be used as a flap as well.  The aileron help you turn the plan, the flap gives you added lift at slow speeds.  Watch the wings the next time you fly commercial and you'll see the flaps open up before landing.

Here is my final build in progress picture before the final one.  Both wings are on now.  We're just missing the tail (vertical and horizontal stabilizers) and the canopy.

Here is the final build.  I put he flaperons up, the horizontal stabilizers are pitched as well.  You can see the panels open on the fuselage to expose the engine parts.  Also, the canopy is open too.  The actual F-35 has a single canopy piece that opens at the front versus 2 pieces.

Here is a picture with everything closed up.  

Here is a view from the front.  The nose is pretty flat and not a great aerodynamic shape.  Given the small space, I can't complain with what the designer did.  I'd rather have this then, LEGO building a specific piece that is a BURP (big ugly rock piece).

Here is the bottom of the aircraft.  Very plain if you ask me.  Landing gear is exposed, the wings do not have a shape on the bottom (camber is the official term for you nerds like me), and the color scheme from the top does not continue on the bottom.  To be fair, I'm sure LEGO didn't design this to be an official model.  They built it to give someone a building experience and if you want to make it better, go for it.  Get some additional pieces and knock yourself out, right?

Overall, it's an impressive model.  Lots of great detail and fun to build.  It's not an exact replica of a fighter jet, but given the size, I can't complain.  The price is a bit high so look for it on sale or take advantage of deals on LEGO.com (double VIP points or free give aways) to help out with the higher price.  I didn't build the other 2 models, but having the instructions for 2 others is great too.  Plus, it comes with a ton of great pieces.  The darker blue color is great to build with and I'm sure there are many other things you could build with these parts and maybe a few others.  The box says it is for ages 9 to 14.  I realize I'm older than that, but it's all good.  Younger kids may have trouble with the build or it may be a good time to sit down with a kid and spend some time together away from a screen.

I hope this post was useful.  Let me know in the comments if you'd like to see something different in set reviews.  Also, let me know if you have this set and what you think.  

Finally... I do not have this set available in my store.  Sorry.  I will look to catch it on sale so I can add it to the store or to one of my sales events. 

55 Minifigures for $62 with Free Shipping???? WHAT????

At my last show in Rio Rancho I had a parent tell me that she found a large number of minifigures online for dirt cheap.  It was something like 46 minifigures for $28 or something.  The parent said I should check it out and that she had placed an order.  They hadn't arrived yet, but were due in from China.  My first thought was that these minifigures cannot be true LEGO minifigures. 

So I did a Google search... I won't post the link, but I'm sure you can find them...  I found a site selling 55 Marvel Super Hero minifigures for $61.36 with free shipping from Chenghai, China.  The cost goes down with the more sets that you purchase.  The figures are labeled as "LEGO Compatible," but clearly are not LEGO brand as if you look closely you can see the LEGO studs do not have the LEGO logo on them.  

From looking at the pictures, the representations look pretty darn accurate and very close to LEGO figures.  They clearly did some major copying of what LEGO did.  I'm sure this company has paid LEGO royalty fees for using its designs and I'll bet they've paid for the use of the various Super Hero logos and designs too.  (yes, I'm kidding there)  Not having purchased these myself, I can't say whether the quality matches LEGO or anything else related to the physical products.

Should you buy knockoff minifigures?  That's completely up to you.  My personal opinion is that you shouldn't.  Besides the fact that I sell LEGO minfigures and this is direct competition to my business, you don't know what you're going to get.  If there are issues, do you trust a seller in China to provide you with good customer service or to help fix issues?  If you're not concerned about that, then give it a shot.  If you or your kids don't care that the minifigures are not from LEGO, then you can probably save some money.  If you've purchased some knockoff minifigures, please let me know.  Send an email (store@bricksforbricks.com) or post in the comments.  I'd like to know what you think of them.

With all that being said, please know that the minifigures sold by Bricks for Bricks are all genuine LEGO branded minifigures.  There are no knock off parts for China or anywhere else.

Christmas Promo Set Reviews - Gingerbread House (40139) and Christmas Train (40138)

If you are one who celebrates Christmas, then Merry Christmas to you!  I was at Target on 23 December and walked through the toy area.  It was mobbed (as to be expected) and the LEGO aisle looked like a war zone.  There were only a handful of sets left and many people were walking around talking about LEGO.  I hope you have purchased the LEGO you needed to ahead of time and weren't stuck somewhere like the picked through Target that I was at.  

The LEGO Company usually does a lot of promotions around Christmas time and also has some Christmas themed sets.  They traditionally have Advent calendars (City, Star Wars, and Friends), some decorations made out of LEGO, and continuations to the LEGO Winter Village theme.  LEGO Shop at Home has also had a number of promotions to include free shipping on all orders, double VIP points, and what I'm going to talk about today, the free Christmas promotional sets.  I'm not sure when it's started, but LEGO has released 2 sets a year that come free if your purchase more than a certain dollar amount (usually $99).  The first is available around October and the next one becomes available around Thanksgiving time.

This year there were 2 sets.  The first was set 40138, the Christmas Train.  It was available from 13 October to 13 November 2015.  The set has 233 pieces.  Here are some pictures of the box.

The box just has pictures of the set on the front and back.  The front of the box says that it's a 2015 Limited Edition set.

The set contains 4 LEGO parts bags and an instruction booklet.  There are no stickers (thankfully) and the bags aren't numbered.  With 233 parts, not having numbers isn't an issue as it was easy to find the parts needed to build the set.

Here is the final version of the set.  It is simple, yet rather detailed.  There is an engine, a car with various Christmas treats (cookies, packages, a candy cane, a lollipop, and a few other goodies), and then a caboose.  There is also a sign and tree that can go along the train's route.

Overall, this is a great set.  You can't beat the price... free... well you have to buy other stuff, but if you time your purchases knowing that this will be coming, then you're not upset about it.  While being small, the set contains a lot of great parts.  I enjoy building with the dark green color and the gold colored pieces are good too.  Plus as a town and train fan, I've found that I can never have enough landscaping pieces so an extra tree piece is good with me.  It also has a number of small pieces that are extra for the set that you can use elsewhere if you plan to keep this train together.

The next set is the Gingerbread House (40139).  It has 277 pieces and as mentioned it was available around Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday for purchases of $99 or more.  

The Gingerbread House box looks similar to the Train box.  Just a simple picture of the set with the 2015 Limited Edition marking on it.

The contents are similar to the train set as well.  There are for parts bags, an instruction booklet, and then a 2 x 12 white plate external to the bags.  

And here's the final design with front, side, and back pictures.  Despite being very small, the designers did a great job putting details in to make it look like a real gingerbread house.  Like the train, there are some great pieces in this set.  The brick textured pieces included are great and some of the candy colored pieces can also be useful with other builds.  Like the train set, there are a number of small pieces leftover for other uses if you want to keep this set together.

Overall, it's another great set.  With only 277 pieces, the designers did a good job cramming in detail with a small number of pieces.  Like the train, it's a great piece to add to your Winter Village or to have up around your house as a Christmas decoration.  

If you want to get one of these, you have to look on the secondary market.  I'm not sure what the prices on Amazon.com or EBay are, but Bricklink lists the average selling price for the train as $30.83 and $36.04 for the Gingerbread house.  I have one of each available, but I they are currently not for sale on my site yet as I'm focused on minifigures for now.

Let me know what you think of these sets in the comments section.