LEGO Friends Advent Calendar 2020 – Daily Countdown
December 1, 2020
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Following on from the Harry Potter Advent Calendar, we’ll also be doing a countdown for the 2020 Friends Advent Calendar!
My 4 year old daughter is a massive fan of LEGO Friends, so she was really excited to get into this one, and this is my first Friends calendar since 2016 so I’m excited to get back into it.
If you’d like to join along, it’s not too late to pick up the 2020 Friends Advent Calendar from Amazon or LEGO.com, but it seems like stock is running low all over the world.
Follow daily for a reveal of each advent calendar window. Whether you’re new, or you’re a returning reader, I’d love for you to hang out and follow along as we count the days to Christmas!
Please also feel free to follow my 2020 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar and 2020 Harry Potter Advent Calendar countdown as well, which will be posted shortly!
How does this work?
If you’re new here, I do daily updates on each window of the 2020 Friends Advent Calendar. I usually post updates in the morning, but sometimes if I get too busy at work, updates will be posted in the evening. I’ll update this post each day, as I don’t really enjoy the practice of creating new posts for each day as it keeps it so much cleaner.
Unlike most other LEGO sites that pre-write and pre-photograph their Advent countdowns, I’m actually opening each window as I go, and I’ve been able to be relatively spoiler-free to be as surprised as I can get.
Follow me on instagram at @jayong28 for behind the scenes content, where I’ll also be uploading a highlights reel of each Advent Calendar!
All reviews, thoughts and reactions are live as we go along, there are no pre-planned photos or thoughts, unless I happen to be travelling or away from home.
Do note that I’m based in Melbourne, Australia (GMT +8) so we’re ahead of most of the world (except New Zealand) so to avoid spoilers, try to come back to this post after you’ve opened your window and built the daily model especially if you’re located in other timezones like the US or UK.
PS: If you’re planning to buy any LEGO for Christmas and would like to support the blog, please use these affiliate links if you’re shopping on Amazon, Amazon Australia or LEGO.com! I receive a small commission if you purchase something, which goes a long way in paying for equipment and server costs, as well as not have to resort to slapping ads all over the site.
To make it easier for you to check out each day’s section, as this post is going to grow longer with every new window, all you have to do is click on the Day you want, and you will instantly jump to the corresponding section.
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Day 1 – Emma
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Day 2 – Cookies and Milk
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Day 3 – Fireplace
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Day 4 – Hamster & Pretzel
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Day 5 – Post Box
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Day 6 – Christmas Elf
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Day 7 – Christmas Arch
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Day 8 – Toy Workbench
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Day 9 – Remote Controlled Plane
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Day 10 – Dessert Table
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Day 11 – Toy Train
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Day 12 – Skateboard
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Day 13 – Waffle Maker
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Day 14 – Wind-up Penguin
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Day 15 – Christmas Elf #2
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Day 16 – Wrapping Station
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Day 17 – Gift Boxes
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Day 18 – Campfire
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Day 19 – Snowball Launcher
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Day 20 – Snowman
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Day 21 – Christmas Sled
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Day 22 – Sled Attachment
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Day 23 – Christmas Tree
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Day 24 – Mrs Claus & Final Thoughts
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To follow along, it’s best to bookmark this post to check back each day. You can also find a link to this post from the home page via this link in the top navbar. If you’re on mobile, you have to expand the burger menu (the button with the 3 lines) to find it.
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Here’s a look at the front flap of the 2020 Friends Advent Calendar which opens up to reveal a play mat where you can display the upcoming day’s contents.
I like the little icons and illustrations on each window, which adds to the festiveness of the set.
One thing I really liked about the Friends Advent Calendar, and something I wish the other calendar would emulate is that it doesn’t give away ALL the builds on the box art.
There’s this +3 surprise figures callout on the front, which is great because it maintains a sense of surprise that should come with an advent calendar.
Of course, if you really wanted to see all the contents of the calendar, you can easily look it up online, but a sense of mystery and surprise should be part of any Advent Calendar.
The instructions for the Friends Advent Calendar LEGO models are printed on each door. No instructions for Day 1 since we got an Emma minidoll, but future diagrams will be found here.
Without further ado, let’s kick off the 2020 LEGO Friends Advent Calendar!
Day 1
Day 1 starts of with a Minidoll, which is always a nice way to kick things off.
We get Emma, in some light blue pyjamas, and a hair brush accessory.
She looks like she’s getting ready for bed, and I love the sleepy moon print on her torso.
Here’s a look at the back printing, and I love the little back pockets on her pants.
Ms 4 year old’s thoughts on Day 1 : “I love Emma, she’s my favourite”
And that’s it for Day 1, check in tomorrow to see what Day 2 brings!
Day 2
Day 2 is a really simple build – we get a cookie, a yellow mug of milk and a shopping list and pen.
You could probably interpret this build a few ways, that the cookies and milk is meant to be left out for Santa, or that they’re sustenance as Emma writes out her Christmas wishlist.
Ms 4 year old’s thoughts on Day 2 : “It’s so cool! I love biscuits!”
That’s it for Day 2 so far! I love that you get an extra cookie tile, and an extra pen as well! See ya tomorrow!
Day 3
Day 3 of the Friends Advent calendar gives us a cosy little fireplace for Emma.
The build is simple, but I like the sprig of holly, and the Christmas sock.
This is the first build to feel truly Christmas-y, so it’s a really welcome addition on Day 3!
Ms 4 year old’s thoughts on Day 3 : “It’s got a fire!”
Day 4
Day 4 is a cute but puzzling addition – we get a small purple and white platform, and a hamster and pretzel.
I have many questions – is the pretzel meant to be food for the hamster? Is the hamster meant to be an accompaniment to the pretzel?
Nonetheless, cute Friends animals are always fun to collect, and I’ll always welcome more hamsters into my collection. Just wondering what the Christmas connection is…
Ms 4 year old’s thoughts on Day 4 : “I can build this one on my own!”
Day 5
On Day 5, we get another basic build – a simple post box. It was so simple that my daughter could assemble it on her own.
It has a white cheese slope on it, for some snow details, but apart from that doesn’t really have much seasonal character.
It’s a pretty boring build, even more plain than yesterday, but at least there’s another object for Emma to interact with.
Hopefully tomorrow will yield a better build!
Day 6
Day 6 is a real treat as we get a Christmas Elf! This is my first microdoll, a smaller childlike variant of minidolls, and it’s really cute!
Love the Elf’s freckly face and sheepish smile, and the print on his body.
My daugther was ecstatic to get a bow, and I was very surprised that the Elf could hold on to the bow via his tiny hands!
Here’s a look at his back.
Really chuffed with Day 6 and I’m so glad we got another festive character, for Emma to play with! Check in tomorrow to see what we get in Day 7!
Day 7
On Day 7, we get a Christmas Arch! Love how festive it is, with the candy-cane pillars, and the Christmas wreath.
It’s a really simple build, but is just the right height for the Elf!
Day 8
Day 8 is a really fun little build – a Toy Workbench which is perfect for the Elf to start working on all sorts of toys!
On the bench is a yellow Rubber Duck on blue skates. I think the blue skates are new – I’ve never seen them in this colour, and I was very happy to receive another Rubber Duck, which is super cute!
Day 9
On Day 9, we get another cool toy – a remote-controlled plane. It comes with a controller as well, and I love the great use of colours used for the plane – which looks like some sort of futuristic ship.
Looks like Emma is really pleased about the toy selection so far!
Day 10
Anyone hungry? Day 10 gives us a bountiful dessert table, with cupcakes, cookies, and pastries!
In case you were wondering, we got a number of spares included, which my daughter decided to use them all – I actually think it looks much better with all the spare parts used.
The Friends Advent Calendar Christmas scene is already starting to fill up, and I hope we get another character soon, as it’s starting to feel quite lonely with just Emma and the Elf.
Check in tomorrow to see what Day 11 brings!
Day 11
Day 11 is yet another fun toymaking themed build – bright red Toy Train on a table! The Toy train design is very festive, with the red, green and gold colour scheme.
I also like the paintbrush included which is a nice touch. The paintbrush is the all-brown variant, which is a fairly rare element and you get two!
Not too bad for Day 11, and I love all the little toy-themed builds so far, especially the few uncommon elements included!
Let’s see what we get in Day 12! I hope for another minidoll as Emma feels a little lonely!
Day 12
Day 12 is yet another simple build – a purple skateboard with a gift ribbon on it. Nothing too groundbreaking, and a little boring considering they could’ve easily included this with Emma, or alongside another model, so this feels relatively lazy.
Here’s hoping we get something more substantial in tomorrow’s window!
Day 13
This year’s Friends Advent Calendar is a sweet tooth’s dream! On day 13, we get a Waffle Maker, in the same style as Day 10’s Desert Station.
It’s simple, but really clever, with a blank nougat tile and a press, followed by a printed waffle tile on a plate.
I haven’t got a LEGO waffle tile before, so this was a pretty nice addition, and you also get an extra one included!
Still no new characters in sight, but I like how well Day 13’s Waffle Maker fits in with the other builds so far. Still hoping for another minidoll or character, so fingers crossed we get one tomorrow!
Day 14
The fun continues with Day 14’s cute (but also slightly sinister-looking) Wind-up Penguin!
The construction is ingenious, and I especially like the use of skates for its eyes, and his fancy little hat.
Ms 4 Year Old think it looks “like a duck penguin“
Here’s the back with the windup gear.
That’s it for Day 14 so far! Check in tomorrow to see what we’ll get. I do wish some of the builds were larger and more substantial – everything just seems so small, and made up of tiny bits compared to the other Advent Calendars.
Day 15
Well, looks like we get another Christmas Elf minidoll? Or is babydoll? Kid-doll? Who knows. It’s the exact same Elf as Day 6’s Christmas Elf, but he comes with a Pearl Gold “flame piece” instead.
With all the toy-making tables, it’s good that we get another Christmas Elf to lighten the load, and I think the two of them are particularly cute, but I do wish that we had some variation, either with a different hat colour, or face/body to differentiate the two of them.
Day 16
We’re certainly running into more festive builds which is nice and on Day 16, we get a cool Wrapping Station – perfect for the Elves to wrap the presents as Christmas approaches.
They’re a bit too tall for the Elves to use, but I do like some of the details such as the wrapping paper roll, and what seems to be some sticky tape represented by the transparent stud.
Also liked that you got an extra pair of scissors with this build!
Day 17
On Day 17, we get two gift boxes, with some goodies inside which includes a bow and a pair of pink sunglasses. You got spares but my daughter decides to use all of them for the gifts.
They’re pretty basic, and leaves much to be desired – I can’t see why they couldn’t include this as part of Day 16’s builds.
When you put the Friends Advent Calendar next to Harry Potter and Star Wars, it’s now beginning to feel very apparent that you’re simply not getting a lot of stuff in this one – with some days being quite light on parts and elements used, which is a little disappointing.
Here’s hoping it picks up in the coming days!
Day 18
Are campfires particularly festive? Or maybe it’s a campfire inside a log cabin to keep you warm in winter!
Day 18 gives us a simple campfire, with some glasses and mugs to go along with it. Nothing too complex, and it’s a little bare to be honest but I do like that at least we get a bunch of mugs, and a clear glass.
The third mug and flame are also nice spares.
It feels like so much more could be added, like some marshmallows on a stick, or even some logs.
And that’s that for Day 18 so far. Another very simple day, and I hope Day 19 is a bit better!
Day 19
Gonna be honest, after a few consecutive days of pretty average builds, I’m beginning to lose quite a bit of excitement for the LEGO Friends Advent Calendar.
Day 19 gives us another simplistic build – a snowball launcher. Made out of only 6 elements, it’s small, and really begs the question why the designers would leave so much out of the build – why not include a Snowman to go with this, or some other props?
Only 6 days remain, and to be honest, after a pretty strong first half with interesting models and builds, the last few have been pretty meh, so much that even my 4 year old isn’t as excited about the Friends calendar in the past few days.
Day 20
Day 20 is a slight improvement, with a pretty basic Snowman! The snowman’s proportions are great, and I do like the use of half a Ninjago ninja mask for its scarf to give it a burst of colour.
A little plain, and I would’ve really like a printed head or body, but simple seems to be the theme of this year’s Advent Calendar!
Day 21
The festive builds continue with Day 21’s Christmas Sled! At the very least the Christmas colours are bright and give it a much-needed festive flavour.
Two can ride on the Christmas sled, and there’s thankfully a stud at the back for the Elf to ride on.
That’s it so far! Seems like the builds are getting much more festive, so here’s hoping the final 3 builds salvages some of the prior plain builds!
Day 22
Day 22 gives us a little attachment (trailer?) to clip to yesterday’s Christmas sled, expanding its storage capacity! There is a wrapped present attached to it, which is nice, but it feels like they could’ve included this in yesterday’s build and saved a window.
Here’s how the entire Christmas sled looks, which can now carry both Christmas elves.
That’s it for Day 22 – only 2 more days to go, and I hope the last 2 days makes up for what has been a pretty average Advent Calendar!
Day 23
It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas with Day 23’s Christmas Tree! It’s one of the better and more substantial builds in this year’s Advent Calendar, and I quite like the techniques used, as well as the start atop the tree!
Day 24
It’s the final day and we FINALLY get our second and most festive minidoll – Mrs Claus herself!
I can’t believe we only got another minidoll on the very last day.
Mrs Claus has some really nice printing on her torso and boots – I especially like the fur lining, and little heart buttons.
Unfortunately no back printing, but otherwise, it’s nice to have a festive minidoll to close off what has been a pretty average calendar.
Final Thoughts
It pains me to say it (and this is echoed by the my 4 year old daughter) but the 2020 Friends Advent Calendar feels like it could’ve been so much more – especially when you compare it with the excellent Harry Potter and Star Wars one which has been utterly fantastic.
There’s just so little stuff and LEGO you get – with some really lacklustre buids that could’ve been condensed or consolidated with one another. Snowball Launcher, Presents and Hamster Pretzel, I’m looking at you specifically.
Also, while I like the addition of the two Elves, I still feel like only 2 minidolls is way too low for a Friends Advent Calendar – is it too much to ask for the entire lineup of Friends main characters?
My daughter who is a massive fan of LEGO Friends and the TV show, remarked that she would’ve liked Andrea and Olivia to go along with Emma, and I wholeheartedly agree.
Oh well, I hope LEGO does better again next year!
Wishing you a very merry Christmas wherever in the world you are, and I hope that you stay safe, cosy and have a wonderful holiday!
To everyone that has been participating in the comments, and sharing your thoughts, I’ve really enjoyed getting to know and hear from so many of you, and it’s always a massive pleasure reading about what you and your family has thought about the calendars!
To stay up to date on all things LEGO beyond this Advent Calendar countdown, feel free to follow me on Facebook and Instagram @jayong28 – I’d love to keep in touch!
While you’re here, please also subscribe to the blog if you’d like to find out about other posts which cover LEGO news, reviews and random musings!
Merry Christmas and I can’t wait to say goodbye to 2020 and ring in the New Year! I hope to see you this time next year!
