Harry Potter Advent Calendar 2019: daily countdown
This year LEGO has included a great option for the Christmas countdown: the Harry Potter Advent Calendar 2019. I love Harry Potter since the first book back in 1997 and I now share my passion with my children. So, we were really enthusiastic for this set to come. Finally December is arrived and we can start opening it!
For me this 2019 has been very close to Harry Potter world: I spent a week in London and I visited the Harry Potter Studios, just outside London, amazing!
With my children, we talk about all the magic of Harry Potter every moment, and with this calendar we will have further topics to discuss! So, we will open together and enjoy each moment.
As for the Star Wars Advent Calendar 2019, I will do the daily countdown and you will find my personal evaluation, as well. The idea of doing so is really to share with you my thoughts and impressions.
As for Star Wars, also in this case I would like to thank Jay’s Brick blog for the inspiration.
Day 1 – Harry Potter
I think that there is no better way to star such an amazing Harry Potter Advent Calendar 2019 with Harry Potter itself.
This minifigure is definitely different from other Harry Potter ones, it is an exclusive of the calendar. It is Christmas and Harry Potter is with the Weasley’s jumper, knitted by Mrs Weasley.
The minifigure comes with kaki throusers, a double face, black hair and of course its wand.
I like it a lot and I appreciate the effort in doing a different Harry Potter from the other sets.
I think that this is a great start for this advent calendar and they can receive the full score. I was anyway thinking that in the LEGO set 75957, the Knight bus, Harry Potter has movable legs. Even if it has the short legs. However, my score is the maximum, 10/10.
To conclude this first day, I am really very satisfied of this start with Harry Potter, and I am wondering for the Day 2!
Day 2 – Hogwarts Express
Here we are with the second box of the Harry Potter Advent Calendar 2019 and the model inside is amazing! A very nice model of the Hogwarts Express: the locomotive and the first wagon.
There are several nice bricks in this model that are not very common, in particular for the locomotive.
This second day opening is really a confirmation of the great quality of the LEGO production for the Harry Potter series. Certainly, an unexpected surprise.
However, I only think that the passenger wagon could have been a little bit bigger, with a little bit more proportion with respect to the locomotive.
In conclusion, the idea is brilliant and the result is simply amazing. It deserves the maximum: 10/10.
This calendar started with two really nice model. Let see what the Day 3 will bring!
Day 3 – Christmas Trees
I am really impressed by this calendar: a daily surprise on day 3. It reserves 2 nice Christmas trees full of snow. At the beginning I was a bit astonish and I found them a bit trivial, but I couldn’t be much wrong. Indeed, what I really like is the technique used.
Actually, the trees are made with a white conic brick with cheese shaped green bricks at the bottom and a nice golden star at the top and the final result is very nice and effective.
Despite the enthusiasm, my score is not very high 6/10. It will contribute to create the right mood in the calendar, but it will not play a relevant role.
Enjoy the rest of the day waiting for Day 4.
Day 4 – Big Christmas Tree
A Christmas tree, again. Certainly, this time it is bigger. It is the real Christmas tree, with the golden decorations and the star on top, not just a simple tree.
However, I am a bit disappointed, because I was not expecting the Christmas tree, after the two of Day 3.
Anyway, the nice thing of the model is the size, bigger than the minifigure. Moreover, I like the the technique: with several bricks of different shapes which all contribute to create this nice tree.
My score today is about 7/10. As I said, the technique is very nice, but the fact that it is another tree it lowers my evaluation.
Seeking for Harry Potter behind the tree, let’s hope for a more interesting surprise on Day 5.
Day 5 – Gryffindor House Banner
Today there is a nice scenario element for this Christmas Hogwarts: the Gryffindor house banner. It is not the Gryffindor banner, with the logo and all, but the two red and gold flags.
However, the flags are installed in a nice wood-like structure that can be placed behind the Christmas trees to improve the Hogwarts atmosphere.
It is not very impressive, but it is a nice to have. Hopefully there will be also the flags for the other houses. In addition, it is nice also the scale with respect to the minifigure of Harry Potter found in Day 1.
In general, I liked this model of today but it is nothing special. I think a 5/10 is enough for this model.
Looking forward for Day 6 surprise.
Day 6 – Professor Minerva McGonagall
The second minifigure of the Harry Potter Advent Calendar 2019 is Professor Minerva McGonagall: the transfiguration professor and Head of the Gryffindor House.
The minifigure represents the professor in her emerald green robe, her black hat and her wand. It is a simple minifigure, likewise the one in LEGO 75954.
As seen from the back, the minifigure is well detailed with the same circular patterns as in front.
I really like the minifigures a lot, and I love the Harry Potter series. So, this minifigure is really appreciated. however, I don’t like that she has no cape. It could have been a very nice add-on.
To sum up, today deserves a 9/10 score. It is very nice to have the Professor McGonagall in this collection!
Day 7 – Great Hall Table
A nice small set for today. Nothing impressive but a nice element to recreate the Christmas atmosphere in the Great Hall of Hogwarts.
It is nice to see that together with the table there are the long benches described in the books and also two golden glasses.
The minifigure fits with this set and Harry Potter from day 1 can enjoy his stay in the Great Hall.
As said, it is not so impressive but it is quite complete. The two golden glasses are an appreciable add on. Moreover, it is a nice set for the Christmas scenario in Hogwarts.
Cheers Harry, let’s wait for Day 8 to come.
Day 8 – Christmas Banquet
The present of today is a serie of accessories for the Christmans banquet in the Great Hall of Hogwarts School.
There is a silver dish, three yellow ice creams and a big Christmas turkey. Among all, the most interesting is the turkey with the two detachable drumstick.
Nevertheless, it is not an amazing surprise, but I appreciate the closed link with the Day 7 table and the continuous focus on Christmas.
Harry looks really impatient while Mrs. McGonagall prepares the banquet with her magic wand.
In general, I think this day deserves a 6/10. Nothing amazing but a nice add on to create the Christmas atmosphere.
Stay with me, waiting for Day 8 to come.
Day 9 – Slytherin House Banner
The second House banner, the Slytherin House banner arrives today. The structure is the same as the one of Day 5 for the Gryffindor.
Not an impressive model, but appreciated for the combination of colors of the flags. Also this surprise of today improves the Hogwart’s Great Hall scenario, that will probably come up at the end of the calendar.
In conclusion, it deserves a 5/10, to stay aligned with the Gryffindor one.
The other houses will come in the next boxes, let see what’s next tomorrow.
Day 10 – Ron Weasley
After Harry Potter on Day 1 and Professor McGonnagall on Day 6, today we have the third minifigure in this calendar: Ron Weasley.
Likewise Harry Potter, Ron is coming with his Weasley Christmas maroon jumper, with a big yellow R on it. Ron dresses the iconic hand-made jumper prepared as Christmas gift by Ron’s mother Molly for the entire family and friends.
Moreover, Ron comes with a double face: a scared one. It is very nice and it looks like when Ron faces spiders!
The minifigure is very well done and detailed. I really appreciate it and it looks great with Harry. It deserves a 10/10, also thanks to the detail and the novelty of the minifigure body.
Stay with me for the Day 11, to come.
Day 11 – Great Hall Table With Candle
The furniture for the great all are continuing, after the table on day 7, we have today another table. Above all, the main differences are the accessories.
In particular, today’s table has a candle on top of it. The most interesting element of the set is the candle light, which was released in 2018-2019.
So, the creation of the Hogwarts great hall is continuing. Certainly, Harry and Ron are more and more enthusiastic!
To sum up, this second table deserves a 6/10, and let see what tomorrow brings.
Day 12 – Pastry
Today the gift is a not impressive pastry set. In other words, some accessories for the Great Hall table arrived on Day 11.
Above all, this set of accessories is quite common, nothing very unique or relevant. Moreover, I think that the new candle of Day 11 was much better.
I think that they put these accessories as they did on Day 8. Therefore, why they didn’t put all the accessories together?
In conclusion, I think that it cannot go beyond a 4/10, even if it contributes to create the Christmas atmosphere.
Let see what tomorrow will bring.
Day 13 – Ravenclaw House Banner
The third banner house arrive today, it is the Ravenclaw House banner. As for the Gryffindor and the Slytherin on Day 5 and Day 9, respectively, the banner is just two flags and the wood-like stand. Of course with the Ravenclaws colors: blue and silver.
As for the others, this model is not really impressive, but I like to create the atmosphere in the Hogwarts Great Hall.
Likewise the other banners, this banner deserves a 5/10, nothing more.
Let see if tomorrow the Hufflepuff banner will come.
Day 14 – Hermione Granger
The third of the main characters of the saga arrived today. Hermione Granger joined the group today.
As for the others minifigures, Herminone has the double scared face.
Likewise, the back part is very detailed as usual. It is a very nice and accurate minifigure. Moreover, it is only in this Harry Potter Advent Calendar 2019.
Hermione minifigure deserves a 10/10, even if with the new scarf accessories, it would have been very nice to have the Gryffindor scarf as accessory and not painted on the minifigure body.
Anyway, finally the gang is now complete and we are ready to see what Day 15 will bring.
Day 15 – Magic Snowman
I don’t know if it is really magic, but I like to think that it was prepared by Harry and Ron with magic. Finally today something really related with the winter period, which could fit very well with the snowed trees of Day 3.
The model has several nice bricks and accessories. In particular, I really like the black hat and the orange scarf.
This model remembers me the snowman of the Star Wars Advent Calendar 2018 with the pilot helmet of Antoc Merrick. However, I am a bit disappointed that the head is just a white brick.
In short, I think that today’s surprise deserves a 9/10 and it is a very nice and appropriate for this calendar.
Leaving Harry and Ron playing with the snowman, let’s wait for tomorrow.
Day 16 – Wizard’sChess
The today’s surprise is another iconic model of the first book of the Harry Potter saga: the Wizard’s Chess board.
The magic board where the chess pieces move at the voice command of the player and they are relatively sentient.
The model is a subscale of the 8×8 board and there are only four elements on it. However, it is well done with microminifigures and other combination of bricks.
The model deserves a 7/10, not more. Maybe flat 1×1 bricks could have been used for the central part of the board.
Leaving Harry and Ron to practise, we will wait for tomorrow to come.
Day 17 – Hufflepuff Banner House
Last but not least, the Hufflepuff banner house. It is exactly as the others, with the expected exception of the colors of the flags: black and yellow.
The four house banners are now available and the background for the Great Hall is complete.
In short, like for the other houses, I am not really impressed by this banner and my score stops at 5/10. On the other hand, it deserves to be in the calendar, because it creates a nice atmosphere.
Now with all the banners, we should have some other things for the last week. Let see tomorrow what will bring.
Day 18 – Professor Filius Flitwick
Surprise, surprise, today we have the minifigure of Professor Flitwick. He is the head of the Ravenclaw House as well as teacher of Charms.
The minifigure is at children stature because, Professor Flitwick is half-goblin. Moreover, as for the others it has together with the wand also a double face.
The level of detail is again very high. For example, the suit is ver well defined and accurate.
Likewise, the back part is well detailed with creases. Finally, the second face is not vey different from the first. In particular, the mouth is a little bit more open, in an astonished expression.
To conclude, I like this minifigure, so it deserves a 10/10 and it is a very appreciated surprise for this calendar.
Leaving Harry and Professor Flitwick practise, we will wait for Day 19 to come.
Day 19 – Fireplace
Today there is a nice assembly model, a fireplace. It is indeed very traditional for Christmas and the advent calendar.
It includes very nice bricks, it is very well done and accurate. On the other hand, I think that this fireplace should stay in the Gryffindor common room rather than in the Great Hall of Hogwarts.
However, this very nice fireplace will certainly contribute to increase the Christmas atmosphere.
In short, I think that this fireplace deserves a 7/10.
We are close to the end of the calendar, let see what the next days reserve.
Day 20 – Pedestal
Another surprise in this amazing Harry Potter Advent Calendar 2019. It is not very clear, but it looks like a first part of a more complex model which will be revealed tomorrow or in the next few days. Apparently it is a pedestal for a statue or something similar.
Certainly, the most fascinating aspect are the crests of the four Houses of Hogwarts. They are in the basement, in the 2×2 tile with the crest and the corresponding background color.
Moreover, there is a strange 3×1 tile modified with 2 connection for the statue above.
To conclude, today’s model deserves a 9/10 and I am really curious to discover the model on top.
Hoping it will be tomorrow!
Day 21 – Architect of Hogwarts
As expected, today we have the statue to be posed on top of the pedestal of yesterday. It is the architect of Hogwarts. Moreover, the model is a fully golden minifigure with all accessories as described by J. K . Rowling.
The statue fits very well with the pedestal. I really like them together.
In short, my score is 10/10, in particular for the combination with Day 20.
I am really curious when Albus Dumbledore will arrive, since we are close to the end of the calendar.
Day 22 – Christmas Presents
On Day 4 we had the big Christmas Tree and today we have the presents for the Hogwarts students.
There are 4 presents packed with the House’s colors. They are a nice combination of bricks and colors, but not very impressive. However they well fit under the Big Christmas Tree.
My score is 5/10, because they are not so original, even if I appreciate the effort to make them all different.
I am really curious about tomorrow for the last two days.
Day 23 – Albus Dumbledore
Today we have the Albus Dumbledore minifigure in its dark red robe.
The minifigure has a double face as the others. The first face has the half-moon glasses and in the other none.
This minifigure is also in the LEGO set 75954, likewise Professor McGonagall on Day 6.
My score for this minifigure is 9/10. Again, likewise Professor McGonagall, I think that the cape is missing. It should have been a very nice accessory.
I think that the minifigures are finished for this calendar, let see tomorrow what the last day will offer.
Day 24 – Harry Potter’s Magic Stuff
We are at the last day of the first LEGO Harry Potter Advent Calendar with the Magic Stuff of Harry Potter.
Today, there are a series of accessories for Harry Potter found on Day 1: the chest, the book, the letter from Hogwarts and Edwige.
These accessories are absolutely great to play with all the minifigures. The book contains the spell for the Charme class. So, the accessories are linked not only with Harry Potter but also with Professor Flitwick of Day 18. Also if you look close to Harry’s letter from Hogwarts you can see Dumbledore’s writing and at the top you can see : “Dear Harry Potter”.
In short, my score for the final day is 9/10. The accessories are nice and very detailed.
Final consideration
Here we are with the final consideration of this first edition of the Harry Potter Advent Calendar 2019.
I found this calendar amazing, with a lot of minifigures and nice models. My favourite is Harry Potter and the combination of the Hogwarts Architect with its pedestal.
With the combination of models and minifigures, it looks really the Christmas in the Great Hall of Hogwarts and some references to the first book of the saga.
It will be very nice if every year there will be the reference to the following books and Christmas itself. I think that LEGO made a great job with this calendar.
Since I provide scores each day, my final algebraic average is 7.3/10. However, my final score is a 8/10. In short, there are some days that could have been done better, like the House’s Banners or the food accessories. On the other hands, the minifigures are very nice and unique, like Harry and Ron with their Christmas jumper.
Let me know in the comments your feedback on it.
Thank you so much for explaining who the golden figure was. I had no idea and I didn’t understand what his accessory was supposed to be.
Nice to hear that!