LEGO Friends is an awesomely fun range aimed primarily at girls. With bright and girly colors, and strong feminine themes, LEGO hoped to lure girls in to play with a toy that has primarily been associated with boys for years.
That is why they wisely decided to put out another calendar, this time focussing solely on the Friends franchise. In it, there are 24 days’ worth of micro builds and Mini-dolls.
The LEGO Friends Advent calendar retails for $34.99 / £21.99, and it was released alongside all the other LEGO calendars on September 1st.
| Set number | 41706 |
| Release date | September 1st, 2022 |
| Price | $34.99 / £21.99 |
| Number of Minifigures | 5 |
| Number of micro builds | 19 |
| Total number of pieces | 312 |
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This calendar is available to buy from Amazon, LEGO, Walmart, and other retailers.
Packaging
The front of the box depicts the kind of festive and Christmassy scene that you will end up with after opening all 24 doors of this Advent calendar.
It doesn’t spoil too much, though, and only puts several of the micro builds and Mini-dolls on there. There are still plenty of surprises waiting for you as you work your way through the calendar.
They are really leaning into the snowy winter scene, and the artwork gives you those cold yet cozy winter evening vibes.
The top, bottom, and sides contain the usual logos and legal bits and pieces you expect to see with any LEGO set.
The 1:1 Minifigure image that is shown on the top of the box is Santiago. This gives those that are unsure about sizes a sense of scale when it comes to the LEGO Friends Mini-dolls.
Turning the set around, we are greeted by the back side of the box:
This side of the box also shows off several different LEGO Mini-dolls and micro builds that can be found within this set.
Flipping the back panel down, we are greeted to the sight of the 24 doors that are part of a winter’s night mural, and behind which are all the LEGO Mini-dolls and micro builds.
The flap that comes down also helps set the scene and gives you a base to play with your builds on.
So with all that info out of the way, let’s dive in and find out what the 2022 LEGO Friends Advent calendar contains, starting with day 1 and going all the way through to day 24!
Day 1 – Olivia
Type of build: Mini-doll
Points of articulation: 4
Total pieces: 4
Spare pieces: 0
We start off the calendar with a Mini-doll behind the door for day 1. First off, it’s Olivia!
She has the same head as many of the other Olivia Mini-dolls, with pink lips and a smile, as well as silvery-looking glasses. It’s her look, there’s no need to change it up.
Her long and curly hair clips to the top of her head and looks great. This does restrict some articulation of the head, as the hair won’t move with it, but it looks nice enough to let it slide.
From the neck down, this Mini-doll is completely new. The torso piece is dark blue and has a blazer and knitted top printed onto it. There is no printing on the back as it is mostly obscured by the hair.
The leg piece has a pink skirt that falls a third of the way down, then her dark blue pantyhose have lighter blue planets painted onto them. Her legs end in bright pink shoes.
Unfortunately, Olivia comes with no accessories.
Overall, this Olivia Mini-doll is a decent enough start to the LEGO Friends Advent calendar. Her look isn’t exactly festive or Christmassy, but it looks warm and cozy, so we can give it a pass.
Day 2 – Rocket worktable
Type of build: Micro build
Total pieces: 12
Spare pieces: 1
Behind day 2’s door is the rocket worktable, complete with a wrench attached to the side of the bench!
The pastel-colored table is topped with a red plate brick with a single stud on top. This allows the rocket to securely stand on the worktable.
The rocket itself is made from alternating round black and white pieces, and it has a 4-finned piece at the bottom and a rounded tip on the top. It can be very easily detached from the table, so you can play with it.
As mentioned, there is also a wrench attached to the side of the bench. It is just the right size to be held by Mini-dolls, but when not in use, it can clip to the white piece on the side.
Overall, the rocket workbench is a fun and interesting little build that is scaled just right for your Mini-dolls to play with.
Day 3 – Popcorn stand
Type of build: Micro build
Total pieces: 19
Spare pieces: 3
Behind the door for day 3 is a fun-looking popcorn stand, complete with plenty of popcorn and some money.
The pink and white stand has a set of wheels on the front, so it can be moved and transported. It also has a clear window piece through which you can see some popcorn being prepared.
Next to the window is a small box that is also filled with popcorn. The box has red and white stripes printed on the front only, and the popcorn piece can clip to the top.
There is a handle on the opposite side to the wheels which would be able to clip into the Mini-doll’s hands…if the Mini-dolls had rotate-able hands. As it is, they can just awkwardly hold it while standing sideways.
That’s not a massive issue, it’s just a small gripe we have about the design of this particular build.
Overall, though, the popcorn stand is a neat and fun pastel-y little set that allows you to build up your festive LEGO Friends scenes.
Day 4 – Festive spinner
Type of build: Micro build
Total pieces: 18
Spare pieces: 5
Day 4 finds us discovering the festive spinner, a green and red contraption that helps you decide between the two colors.
What it’s for…well, we don’t really have any idea! All we know is that it easily spins around, and the ice skate at the bottom points to the chosen color.
Does it look nice? Yes! Does it do what it’s supposed to do? It does! But because of the obscurity of what it’s actually supposed to be used for, it doesn’t have too much play value!
It doesn’t seem to have any relevance to the builds that come before or after, so we’re just left scratching our heads. Still, if we’re going to look at the build, it’s pretty good.
Built primarily from red and green bricks, it has a definite festive vibe. The white bricks are used for structure and support but also add a little flash of extra color to mix things up a little.
Overall, the festive spinner is a good-looking (if not a little baffling) micro build that is still nonetheless kind of fun to use.
Day 5 – Colorful horse
Type of build: Micro build
Total pieces: 22
Spare pieces: 4
We’ve reached day 5, and behind this door, we have a colorful horse. It might be a pastel depiction of a horse, but it actually looks pretty wild and crazy…in the best way!
Made from all sorts of colored bricks, this horse is certainly eye-catching and unique. We especially love the big, wild-looking eyes on either side of its head. It’s those sorts of printed details that make the build extra exciting!
On its back, it has a single stud. This allows for smaller Mini-dolls to stand on it. It also has a brick with a T-shaped structure on it too, which allows the larger Mini-dolls to have their feet clipped into place.
It would be better if the Mini-dolls fitted a little better, but this is more of an issue with the dolls than this colorful horse.
Overall, the colorful horse is a crazy but fun build that has some fun features that allow it to interact with your Mini-dolls.
Day 6 – Ava
Type of build: Mini-doll
Points of articulation: 1
Total pieces: 3
Spare pieces: 0
The Mini-doll that we find behind the door for day 6 is Ava, the small, red-headed little girl.
Her head piece is printed on only one side and features two big green eyes, an open-mouthed smile, and freckles across her cheeks.
The detailed printing on her body is only on the front, with no printing on the back. From the neck down, it is one single piece of plastic, with the blue dress and shoes printed on it.
Because it is molded in a single piece, that means the articulation suffers. Other than a swivel at the neck, no other parts of the Ava Mini-doll can move.
She does have holes in her hands that look like they can hold something, however, they are too small for anything to clip into them.
Overall, the Ava Mini-doll might look small and cute, but her lack of articulation really holds her back.
Day 7 – Hotdog stand
Type of build: Micro build
Total pieces: 24
Spare pieces: 4
Continuing to help build the festive scene, you can find a hotdog stand behind day 7’s door.
This primarily red and white structure stands fairly tall to accommodate the scale of the Mini-dolls. It is topped with a plate on which you can place a star, which adds a little twinkle and breaks up the color of the stand.
The main draw is, of course, the hot dog that sits in the middle. It can be detached from the stand and can lock into place in the hand of a larger-sized Mini-doll, as if they were holding it.
If, for some reason, you want to detach the hotdog from the bun, it simply pops out. But then we’re not too sure why you’d need to do that!
Overall, this is a Christmassy-looking stand that has a lot of playability, and we love the little hotdog accessory that comes with it!
Day 8 – Chocolate fountain and drinks stand
Type of build: Micro build
Total pieces: 16
Spare pieces: 3
Day 8 reveals one of the most popular stands at any Christmas market; the chocolate fountain and drinks stand!
The chocolate fountain looks nice and appropriately chocolatey, but the main play features are the two cups. Both have handles that clip into the hands of the Mini-dolls.
One cup is made of solid red plastic, while the other is made from translucent pink/purple plastic. Both look great, though, the translucent one does slightly stand out more and takes the lead.
You can sit two white studs on top of the cups, which are meant to represent either lids, a frothy head on the hot chocolate, or a marshmallow sitting on top. Whichever it is, it looks good.
Unfortunately, though, these studs don’t clip into place and, as such, can easily fall out and get lost.
Overall, the chocolate fountain and drinks stand make for a fun little LEGO micro build, and – as with many of the other micro builds – helps expand the festive scene.
Day 9 – Campfire and marshmallows
Type of build: Micro build
Total pieces: 18
Spare pieces: 4
Day 9 contains a campfire and marshmallows micro build. It’s a bit of a departure from the other micro builds that we’ve got so far, but that doesn’t make it any less awesome!
The logs of the campfire are arranged in an offset cross around a round, flat central piece. On top of this center circle is a black stud that holds the campfire flame.
We love the translucent orange/yellow flame piece that sits neatly in the center of the campfire, and it really adds a ‘glow’ that other solid and opaque LEGO pieces don’t. It’s a cool touch!
Additionally, you get two marshmallow sticks. They are both slid into a base to keep them together, but they can be removed for use. They do, of course, clip into the hands of the Mini-dolls.
Overall, the campfire and marshmallows micro build is fun and adds a different element of playability than the other stalls and stands that can be found over the previous few days.
Day 10 – Snowman
Type of build: Micro build
Total pieces: 9
Spare pieces: 2
Day 10 finds us opening a simple yet effective little snowman!
The central block is a cube, but the bottom section of the body and the head are rounded pieces. Two twig pieces protrude from the side and look appropriately arm-like.
Luckily, the central square is hidden behind a turquoise heart-shaped LEGO piece, which only adds to the illusion that it is built up from entirely rounded pieces.
On top of his head is a black top hat that clips securely into place. The snowman has no articulation but is scaled perfectly for the Mini-dolls. It’s a great additional micro build!
Overall, this snowman might be simple, but something about it looks more fun and realistic than the snowmen that we’ve found in other LEGO Advent calendars.
Day 11 – Ice skating rink and ice skates
Type of build: Micro build
Total pieces: 19
Spare pieces: 4
Up next, behind the door for day 11, is a small ice skating rink and ice skates. This is a cool (in all senses) micro build that has some nice play functions.
Firstly, there is the ice itself, made up of flat and smooth translucent blue pieces. This allows your Mini-dolls to glide effortlessly across them when they’re wearing ice skates. We really do love the way it looks!
And speaking of ice skates, there are two attached to the surrounding fence. They are made from a plain gray shade of plastic, but they can be easily detached and clipped to the feet of your Mini-dolls.
The green and red plant pieces add a touch of much-needed warmth to the otherwise cold and icy-looking micro build.
Overall, this is a fun little build that gives your Mini-dolls something to interact and play with. The Ice looks great, and the addition of the ice skates is a nice touch.
Day 12 – Gift table
Type of build: Micro build
Total pieces: 30
Spare pieces: 3
If a brightly colored set is what you have always been hoping for, then day 12’s gift table is going to be the micro build to scratch that itch!
It is created from LEGO bricks that are gold and two shades of pink. This arched build is topped with a golden leaf-like piece with pink cherries attached. It’s all very eye-catching.
The arch structure allows your Mini-dolls to stand behind it and look through the gap.
On the stand itself are two gifts: one a rounded lilac piece with a golden flower bow; the other a bluey green rectangular gift, again with a golden bow.
Overall, this brightly colored and super eye-catching set is another modular piece that helps you create your festive scene.
Plus, it’s always great to get more gifts to add to the pile that goes under the tree that – spoiler alert – is inevitable coming soon!
Day 13 – Microphone and speaker
Type of build: Micro build
Total pieces: 13
Spare pieces: 3
Day 13’s door conceals a microphone and speaker. This simple little set looks neat and minimalistic, but there’s not too much to say about it!
The stand positions the microphone at the perfect height for the Mini-dolls. The black and golden microphone can also be removed from the stand, and it clips nicely into the hands of the Mini-dolls.
The speaker stack is several bricks tall and contains a smaller speaker at the top and a larger one at the bottom.
Overall, the microphone and speaker are pretty useless on their own, but they make for fabulous Mini-doll accessories!
Day 14 – Santiago
Type of build: Mini-doll
Points of articulation: 1
Total pieces: 3
Spare pieces: 0
As with the Ava Mini-doll, Santiago’s body and legs piece are molded from one single piece of plastic. He has a red long-sleeved top printed over the blue legs, and the red toy has a black and yellow bee printed onto it.
His arms and legs are fixed in place, so articulation is basically zero, save for the usual swivel at the neck.
Overall, Santiago looks cool, and we love the design of his outfit as well as his big afro-like hair. Unfortunately, the articulation (or lack thereof) lets him down.
Day 15 – Snowball cannon and targets
Type of build: Micro build
Total pieces: 18
Spare pieces: 2
Up next behind the door of day 15 is a snowball cannon and targets. This is a great little micro build if you love builds with awesome playability functions.
The white disks clip into the front of the cannon, and there is a gray trigger piece at the back. When it is pressed down, the white disk is fired out at a pretty considerable speed.
The aim is to shoot it at the targets: three red tube-like bricks with white flat tops. You need to try to knock down as many as possible.
It’s a fun little game, and while it’s not necessarily scaled for the Mini-dolls, it sure is exciting for YOU as the builder of the set to play with.
There is still a festive theme, with a lot of greens, reds, and whites. It really is a Christmassy wrist on an otherwise not very Christmassy build.
Overall, this is definitely a fun build that lets you have some fun in a way that none of the other builds allow. But we just want to reiterate LEGO’s warning: never fire it at a person!!!
Day 16 – Penguin gift table
Type of build: Micro build
Total pieces: 20
Spare pieces: 3
Reaching day 16, we have a penguin gift table. And that’s exactly what it sounds like! A penguin…on a gift table!
The green-topped table has brown legs, and on either side of it sit some presents; one purple with a golden flower on top, the other pink with a golden flower on top. Both look nice and colorful.
But the main draw is the penguin. It is a cool little build and does actually look like a penguin despite its small size. Also, because it is only attached to the table by a single stud, it is easily removable if you want to play with it.
While they could have included a molded and printed LEGO penguin, we appreciate the fact that they let us actually build this one!
Overall, the penguin gift table is another exciting micro build, and we love that it comes with a weather-appropriate penguin.
Day 17 – Baby reindeer
Type of build: Mini-doll
Points of articulation: 0
Total pieces: 1
Spare pieces: 0
Behind day 17’s door is the penultimate Mini-doll of this set, and surprisingly, it’s not even a human! It’s actually a baby reindeer!
Let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way – there is zero articulation. The legs don’t move, the head doesn’t move, nothing moves at all. Yet it’s not the worst thing ever!
Molded in a single light brown piece of plastic, it has dark brown antlers and a tail printed on to add a little variety in color. It also had big dark eyes printed onto its head.
There is a single stud on its back that allows for something to be clipped to it, e.g. a smaller Mini-doll.
Overall, the Baby Reindeer looks fantastic. Does it have as many play features as we’d have hoped for? No – not at all! But when it’s that cute, it really doesn’t matter!
Day 18 – Sleigh
Type of build: Micro build
Total pieces: 15
Spare pieces: 1
Day 18 reveals a sleigh – and not just any old sleigh! This sleigh can be attached to the Baby Reindeer!
The sleigh itself has a nice flat gray base with a curved front to help it glide more smoothly across the ground.
The upholstery is red, with a white piece to slot the Mini-doll’s feet into to keep it held in place. There is a single stud too for if you want to attach a smaller Mini-doll that doesn’t have the capabilities of sitting down.
The gold ‘chain’ at the front is hinged in several places and reaches up to clip onto the single stud on the baby reindeer’s back. It can then be pulled along. It looks surprisingly neat!
Overall, this sleigh looks nice on its own, but it is taken to the next level when combined with the baby reindeer from day 17!
Day 19 – Reindeer jump and gifts
Type of build: Micro build
Total pieces: 16
Spare pieces: 2
We have another useful micro build behind day 19’s door, this time, it’s a reindeer jump and some more gifts.
As we’re sure you can imagine, this can be combined with a few of the previous day’s offerings.
The red and white jump is topped with golden pieces, and it stands at just the right height for the baby reindeer mini-doll to jump over it.
The gifts are colorful yet uninspired. There is one yellow gift with some patterns and details molded into the plastic. The other gift is a couple of shades of blue and is topped with a gold star.
While the gifts don’t offer too much play value, they still make nice overall additions to the scenes you can create.
Overall, the reindeer jump and gifts might not be the most fun or interesting builds, but they still fit in with the overall theme, and as such, they are appreciated.
Day 20 – Christmas tree and gifts
Type of build: Micro build
Total pieces: 21
Spare pieces: 3
Behind the door for day 20 is a Christmas tree and gift micro build, and this one looks amazing!
It has a dark brown base and trunk that leads up to an amalgamation of rounded green pieces that combine to create the tree.
There are a couple of levels of rounded studs on there that are supposed to look like baubles. They are red and golden flower-shaped LEGO pieces, and there are four of each decorating this micro build.
We love the fanned-out leaf pieces. It gives it that spread-out look that Christmas trees often have.
We like that it conceals those ‘bauble’ studs too, so you only catch little glimpses of them.
The gift box is reminiscent of the one that we got in the LEGO Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy Advent calendar, but this one contains a transparent star. This star can, of course, be attached to the top of the tree!
The box had a separate lid that attaches securely and, unlike many of the other gifts in this Advent calendar, actually works as a usable box. Albeit a tiny one!
Overall, this is a super pleasing set that looks wonderful. It is detailed and has an extra Christmassy look that will look at home in whatever micro build scene that you construct!
Day 21 – Cupcake stand
Type of build: Micro build
Total pieces: 37
Spare pieces: 6
Behind day 21’s door we have our final stand, this time it’s a cupcake stand! Created from white and green bricks, it has almost a Christmas tree feel to it!
Like many of the other stands, it has an arch design that allows Mini-dolls to look through it. The red flower on top breaks up the green and white, adding a spot of warmth to the build.
The cupcakes themselves with on a rounded plate that clips to the center of the stand. You get four cupcakes, two of each color. They can even be detached and clipped into the Mini-doll’s hands with ease.
As well as the tasty treats, LEGO has also provided a small carton of milk or juice. The blue block has an advertisement printed on one side only, and it is topped with a white triangular piece.
Overall, it’s a strong end to the run of stands that we have got throughout the LEGO Friends calendar. It is uniquely colored, and the accessories look fantastic.
Day 22 – Camera and flash
Type of build: Micro build
Total pieces: 8
Spare pieces: 1
Day 22 holds a camera and flash. Another fairly simple and uninspired micro build, it still gives your Mini-dolls another accessory to play with.
The camera is cast from a single black piece of plastic, with a transparent rounded piece on the front to represent the lens.
It sits atop a long pole, pitting it at a perfect height for the Mini-dolls to look through the camera’s eyepiece. The camera also has a handle molded onto the side of it, so it can be held, too.
The flash is simply another clear piece attached to a light gray stand. There’s nothing too much to talk about on that front!
Overall, the camera and flash are another one of those micro builds that are pretty dull upon first inspection but still make for a pleasing Mini-doll accessory.
Day 23 – Festive throne
Type of build: Micro build
Total pieces: 12
Spare pieces: 0
We’ve reached day 23, and today we get a festive throne! This red and gold seat certainly looks incredible and is well sized for Mini-dolls.
It looks surprisingly smooth and flush thanks to the many flap pieces that cover up the studs.
The only exposed studs are on the sides and at the back. These are not necessarily visible, though, so we’ll give them a pass.
The back section of the chair is on a hinge, and while it’s supposed to just sit upright, we like that it has a reclining feature. It’s almost as if the seat is there to allow your Mini-dolls to chill out and relax for a while!
We want to give a shout-out to the color palette of this particular micro build. There’s something super festive about the combination of red and gold – something royal!
The two ‘leaf’ pieces on the top even make it look like the throne is wearing a golden crown!
Overall, the festive throne is an aesthetically pleasing and super functional micro build!
Day 24 – Santa Claus
Type of build: Minifigure
Points of articulation: 4
Total pieces: 5
Spare pieces: 0
Behind the final door, day 24, is the Santa Claus Mini-doll. This is, of course, the most logical choice for the Christmas Eve selection!
His face features a single-sided printing and a printed-on beard. We would have assumed that Santa would get a modular detachable beard, but a printed version works just as well.
In fact, it probably works a little better, as it doesn’t obstruct or restrict any of his movements.
Santa’s hat is a separate piece that clips firmly to the top of his head. It has to be on at the right orientation, though, if you don’t want his facial features obscured!
His torso and body pieces are primarily red with black, gold, and white printing on both sides. There is far more printing on the front than the back, but still, the belt continues around.
Accessories-wise, this Mini-doll comes complete with a sack of goodies that can be held firmly in his hand. It is a solid light brown piece, and while it’s not too exciting, it does the job well.
Overall, Santa Claus is a pleasant final Mini-doll with some incredible detailing. It’s a wonderful way to end the LEGO Friends Advent calendar.
LEGO 41706 Friends Advent Calendar 2022…in numbers!
So we’ve taken a deeper dive into what’s behind all 24 doors of the LEGO 41706 Friends Advent Calendar, but we thought we’d make things a little easier and simpler for you.
Here you can see what’s behind each door at only a glance!
| Day | Item | Number of pieces |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Olivia | 4 |
| Day 2 | Rocket worktable | 12 |
| Day 3 | Popcorn stand | 19 |
| Day 4 | Festive spinner | 18 |
| Day 5 | Colorful horse | 22 |
| Day 6 | Ava | 3 |
| Day 7 | Hotdog stand | 24 |
| Day 8 | Chocolate fountain and drinks stand | 16 |
| Day 9 | Campfire and marshmallows | 18 |
| Day 10 | Snowman | 9 |
| Day 11 | Ice skating rink and ice skates | 19 |
| Day 12 | Gift table | 30 |
| Day 13 | Microphone and speakers | 13 |
| Day 14 | Santiago | 3 |
| Day 15 | Snowball cannon and targets | 18 |
| Day 16 | Penguin gift table | 20 |
| Day 17 | Baby reindeer | 1 |
| Day 18 | Sleigh | 15 |
| Day 19 | Reindeer jump and gifts | 16 |
| Day 20 | Christmas tree and gifts | 21 |
| Day 21 | Cake stand | 37 |
| Day 22 | Camera and flash | 8 |
| Day 23 | Festive throne | 12 |
| Day 24 | Santa Claus | 5 |
Final thoughts
Having gone through each and every Mini-doll and micro build of the LEGO Friends 2022 Advent calendar, photographing and taking notes on them as we go, we have a few final thoughts.
It’s actually not a bad set! We were initially skeptical as to how good this particular Advent calendar would be compared to all the other Advent calendars, but we were pleasantly surprised.
Okay, the Mini-dolls aren’t particularly to our liking – we prefer the normal version of Minifigures – but what we got was certainly a treat and a nice entry into the world of LEGO Friends.
We really liked the Santa Claus Mini-doll, and surprisingly we also found the Baby Reindeer to be a pretty fine addition to the set.
The other Mini-dolls were a little hit-and-miss, with the smaller child ones being pretty useless in the end.
There were also some nice micro builds. We loved the range of stands that we got, and the variety really helps you create a modular Christmas scene.
There are a couple that are a lot less uninspired than the others, i.e. the microphone and speaker and the camera and flash, but not EVERY day can be a home run.
Upon reflection, though, the Christmas tree is probably our favorite micro build. A little cliché, we know, but it does truly look great, as far as Lego Christmas trees go.
We do want to applaud the variety of colors that we get in this set, too. Yes, there are the usual festive hues, but we also get some unusually bright colors thrown in too.
There’s also a nice pastel pallet going on with a few builds, too, just to add that extra bit of variety.
If you’re a fan of LEGO Friends already, then you’re going to love this Advent calendar. If you’re NOT a fan, it’s still worth picking up.
You – like us – might find yourself pleasantly surprised at how fun and interesting the set is!