Review: 10308 Holiday Main Street

September 29, 2022 | 18

It’s beginning to feel a lot like new LEGO Winter Village set, and for 2022, we have the pleasure of adding 10308 Holiday Main Street to LEGO’s long-running annual seasonal/Christmas sets.

This year, the spirit of the 2022 Christmas/Winter set is all about togetherness, and bringing different parts together to form a whole, which takes the form of the Build Together instructions, but also the model itself, which presents (heh) itself in different builds that come together to form the Holiday Main Street.

When I first saw the box art for the set, I was initially very apprehensive about the set, but after building it, and discovering that it’s priced at a very respectable US$99.99, I can confidently say that this is an extremely charming set that absolutely deserves its spot within LEGO’s beloved Winter Village Collection.

10308 Holiday Main Street will be released on 3 October 2022 for LEGO VIPs, and 7 October for general release, and will be available from LEGO.com / LEGO Stores.

See below for regional pricing and links:

• 10308 Holiday Main Street [US] – US$99.99
• 10308 Holiday Main Street [AU] – AU$169.99
• 10308 Holiday Main Street [UK] – £89.99
• 10308 Holiday Main Street [EU] – €99.99
• 10308 Holiday Main Street [CA] – CAD$129.99

Let’s jump into the review!

Special thanks to LEGO for providing this set for review.

10308 Holiday Main Street Set Details

Name: Holiday Main Street
Set Number: 10308
Pieces: 1,514 pieces
Price: AU$169.99 | US$99.99 | £89.99 – Buy from LEGO.com [AUS] [USA] [UK]
Exclusive to: LEGO.com / LEGO Stores
Theme: LEGO Icons
LEGO Designers: Pierre Normandin
Release Date: 3 October 2022 (VIPs) / 7 October 2022 (general release)

What’s in the name? The set is actually called Christmas High Street in most countries, except the US, where it’s called Holiday Main Street. The issue is that the set name on the box is Holiday Main Street, so I’m really confused as to why the sudden name change.

ANYWAY.

The Build Experience

One of the big drawcards of the set, and one that’s executed to perfection is the Build Together aspect, which is prominently displayed on the box, as well as in the manuals.

A really effective technique used to convey this is that the manuals have no numbered sequence to them. The bags inside are all numbered sequentially of course, but not having the numbers on each manual helps illustrate that you can tackle the builds in the set in any order you like.

LEGO really want to encourage families, or couples or groups of friends to experience and build this set together.

The build in itself was mostly quite basic – 10308 Holiday Main Street is designed to be accessible, and in some ways, feels like a bit of a reset for the Winter Village sub-theme, a bit of a departure from the slightly complex and challenging angles of 10291 Santa’s Visit or ingenuity of 10275 Elf Club House.

While accessible, and there are some really clever techniques and nice part usage, especially for the building facades, that seasoned LEGO builders will enjoy.

10308 Holiday Main Street Minifigures

10308 Holiday Main Street comes with 6 minifigures, a decent number of characters that give it a lot of playability, and something younger builders will definitely enjoy.

A highlight for me is the interesting selection of modern clothes, and winter attire (so many jumpers!), while not exclusive to the set are uncommon enough for it to still fresh and new.

It’s a Main Street and there are shops, so half the minifigure contingent consists of shoppers. We get 2 women, which have fairly ambiguous ages, as well as a young boy, with a fur hat with ear flaps to keep his head toasty.

I really like the lady in the pink jumper, as well as the boy’s outfit and hat, and for accessories, both ladies have brick-built shopping bags, and the boy has a letter to post.

Here’s a look at their back prints and dual-sided heads. The minifigures are a great pack of cold-weather outfits that until some outfits like the pink jumper are relatively uncommon.

Next we have three worker minifigures that ply their trade on the Holiday Main Street. From left to right, we have the Toy Shop owner, Tram Driver, and the Music Shop owner.

They have a great selection of torsos that give each of them very distinct identities, and it’s nice to see the Lighthouse Keeper’s torso from 21335 Motorised Lighthouse make a return in an affordable set.

I believe the Music Shop Owner’s red shirt, tie and suspender combo is new-ish as well, and I really like that particular torso, especially the subtle fabric creases that make his shirt look properly tucked into his trousers.

Here’s a look at the back printing for all 3 minifigures where you can appreciate more of that realistic fabric details. Unfortunately, all the minifigures with jobs don’t have dual-sided heads.

Here’s a look at a small brick-built section of the Holiday Main Street, which has plenty of snow and a couple of small objects for the minifigures to interact with.

It also serves as a Tram Stop, as there’s a bit of fence to help the minifigures line up while waiting for the tram.

It wouldn’t be a Winter Village set without a lampost/streetlight, and in 10308 Holiday Main Street, we get one that also doubles as a four-faced clock, as well as a Street Sign, which is a really clever way of squeezing a ton of utility into just one build.

There’s a bright red postbox for the Winter Villagers to post their letters to Santa, or send Christmas cards. I love the nod to the Winter Village Post Office on the side, which is a lovely throwback and an effective element that places this set in a wider village.

Here’s a look at the new Winter Village Christmas Tree – another staple build that shows up in every single Winter Village set, and something that I look forward to building as each year’s Christmas Tree has its very own distinctive design and identity.

It’s quite a small tree this year, but there are some great details – I love the snow on the base, as well as the wrapped presents that are “embedded” into the base. Another nice visual effect is the hits of green plates peeking out from the dark green.

I also like the simplistic colour scheme with just trans-yellow baubles, gold stars and a star wand to top the tree.

We’ve had Winter Village vehicles before, but nothing as substantial this year’s Christmas Tram. Or trolley, cable car, street car or however else your country of origin calls these things.

To me, the Christmas Tram is the centerpiece of the set, and really ties the entire Main Street together. The build looks simple, but makes excellent use of elements available, and I especially like the blend of colours which give off suitably festive vibes.

Here’s a look at the front of the tram (apologies for the errant rod trying to make an escape) where there’s the destination (or tram route) above the large windows, and I also really like the Christmas wreath on both ends.

Here’s the side view – the narrow entrance is fenced up, and meant for the conductor/tram driver, and passengers can alight through the main entrance up the steps.

There are advertisements on both sides of the tram, with unique graphics both for the Toy Shop and Music Store. I really love the Toy Shop, which has a cute “have a toyful holiday” tagline, and also features a Santa minifigure.

The graphic designers could’ve easily cut corners and re-used the graphics from the shop signs, but I’m glad they went with brand new sticker designs here.

You can also lift the lid of the tram, allowing you to easily place the minifigures on the inside.

Another nice touch is the ability for all 6 minifigures (and their shopping) to fit on the tram.

Now, LEGO are doing their best to keep Powered Up alive, and you have the option to completely kit out the Christmas Tram and motorise it with train wheels, lights and play sounds from the Powered Up app.

The box and manual provide suggestions and step by step instructions on how to install the battery box, wheels, and lights, which is welcome change that allows fans to really bring the Tram to life.

Powered Up is unfortunately quite expensive, and it costs as much as this entire set if you want to kit the tram out, so this really isn’t for everyone, unless you already own all the components required.

And now for the main course, the 2 storefronts that are our new 2022 LEGO Winter Village additions. You get 2 buildings – a Toy Shop and a Music Store which are delightful structures that add so much to LEGO’s Winter Village.

Both shops are double-storey, with living quarters upstairs for each respective store.

I’ll be honest, when I first saw the box and official images, I wasn’t convinced at all, and thought these were quite flat, with too many straight lines and there’s something about their boxy appearances that didn’t sit well with me, but after building them and displaying them alongside other Winter Village sets, I realised my first impressions were completely wrong.

One of my biggest fears were that the buildings were too skinny, but they really fit the aesthetic of earlier Winter Village sets, and don’t look out of place at all.

Let’s take a look at Santa’s Toy and Games shop, a really fitting addition to Main Street, come Christmas time. The facade is really attractive, with dark red paint for the shopfront, and an olive green upper level, as well a simple sandstone roof.

It’s really interesting that this is Santa’s Toy and Games, especially that Santa Claus has been unable to resist the Siren Song of capitalism, and is now in the direct-to-consumer business as well, especially when there’s already a Toy Store in the Winter Village.

I do hope that he is still running his not-for-profit Gifting side of the business, but hey, maybe Mrs Claus really just wanted him to get a full-time job, and not just work one day a year.

Here’s a look at the Toy Shop from the front.

As it’s Christmas-time, the festive decorations are out in full force with Christmas wreaths – the linked wreath is really quite nice, and I really need to adjust how I did mine as it’s quite sloppy, but if done correctly, they curve nicely over the windows.

The sign is really nice, and I love the nod to LEGO’s Wooden Duck (in green) on the graphics.

Like any good toy store, it has large windows out the front, where kids can gawk at the latest and greatest toys.

On the right window, is a steam train that looks suspiciously like the Hogwarts Express, as well as a hanging sign with the store’s logo on it.

Santa is a big fan of outsourcing (see: Elves) and doesn’t work here, and instead has a lovely Store Manager running the store.

And on the other end is a small shelf of toys, with some roller skates, a robot, and a tall apartment building, as well as what I believe is a pink yo-yo.

On the upper level is a very festively-decorated room for the Store Manager to live in. There’s a small Christmas tree with plenty of wrapped presents, a desk with a lamp, cup of tea and a stickered Christmas Wish List tile, and a really nice rug and bed with teal bedding.

It’s homely, festive and a really well-kitted out room – the only problem is how do you get upstairs?

Of course longtime LEGO Winter Village fans know that there’s an existing Toy Store in the sleepy Christmas village, in fact the Toy Shop was the first one to kick the entire series off, and it was even remade, almost identically in 2015.

There’s heritage here, and here’s both builds side by side to illustrate the difference between both buildings, with the newer one having a more commercial shophouse look compared to the more rustic traditional Toy Shop with the pointy roof.

Placing them side by side also demonstrates just how far architectural techniques have developed, with so much more details being made possible on the facade.

As alluded too, the new buildings aren’t too skinny, and in fact, fit in the footprint established by early LEGO Winter Village buildings well.

Here’s a look at both Toy Shops from the back.

So yes, while there may be 2 Toy Stores, they’re distinct enough to feel like this isn’t a lazy rehash, and I’m just enjoying the fact that Santa is some sort of capitalist baron. I guess we all should’ve known – the signs have always been there with his use of indentured labour.

Up next we have H Jollie’s Music Store, the name which is a play on the Have A Holly Jolly Christmas song. This building has a bit more of that Winter Village DNA with the sloped roof.

I love that instead of going for the straight forward snow covered roof, we get snow pooled on the edges of the roof, which is a really cool visual effect that we haven’t quite seen before, unless you count the snow on the Winter Holiday Home’s chimney.

Here’s a look at the shopfont and the H. Jollie’s Music Store sign. It’s not as loud and Christmasy as Santa’s Toy Shop, but I kinda like how understated it is, as well as how the dark blue door matches the sign.

Here’s a look at the singular window of the storefront, which has a white acoustic guitar and the violin that we first saw with Series 21’s Violin Boy.

Here’s a look at the inside of the store, which has plenty of musical instruments such as a drum kit, drum sticks, piano keys on the wall and a really retro cash register.

On the walls of the Music Store is a newspaper – The Daily Brick with a dude playing an acoustic guitar.

And on the other end, is a saxophone on a stand, as well as a Holiday Concert poster.

And on the upper level is something that’s more akin to a break room than a room. There’s a kitchen, cabinets, what I think is a microwave oven, a teapot on a stove, as well as a table with cookies and tea.

A really neat feature here is the wallpaper behind the stove.

And another cool nod to another classic Winter Village set – a portrait of the Gingerbread House!

Fun fact: the Gingerbread House is the only set that I’ve awarded a perfect 5/5 to.

And here’s the completed model, with all the elements together!

As I’ve mentioned at the top of the review, I was really concerned about how the Holiday Main Street with the rest of the LEGO Winter Village, which is one of the most beloved and long-running LEGO Icons (previously Creator Expert) subthemes.

As you can see above, the designer Pierre Normandin has done an exemplary job making the Holiday Main Street fit in seamlessly into the LEGO Winter Village, and that I think is a huge achievement and a reflection of how well-received this set will be.

I think the official images on the product page and on the box doesn’t do the set justice, because it makes the set appear small, and skinny, but this is really a great addition, and fits the aesthetic so well.

Here are more photos to help you visualise how well it’ll fit into your LEGO Winter Village, to help allay any fears that this set is going in the wrong direction.

What I liked:

• At US$99.99 this set is tremendous value
• The poster child of Build Together
• Lots of playability and very family-friendly
• Christmas Tram is great and ties the entire set together
• Great lineup of minifigures

What I didn’t like: 

• No light brick
• Powered Up elements required to complete the tram is cost-prohoibitive
• Could use at least one or two special printed elements

FINAL THOUGHTS:

I was not expecting to like 10308 Holiday Main Street as much as I do, and I can thoroughly say that this is an excellent and very welcome addition to LEGO’s revered Winter Holiday Village collection.

Fans, longtime collectors and those that are new to starting their own LEGO Winter Village collection will be delighted with Holiday Main Street as it retains much of the quaint charm that has made Winter Village so popular, while at the same time, introducing a bustling Main Street into the collection.

The price absolutely needs to commended, and at US$99.99, you’re getting so much value with the set, with 2 independent buildings, a street section AND a Christmas Tram. I’m really impressed that LEGO was able to keep the price of this set so low, and ensure that it remains accessible both for longtime fans but also for newcomers.

Playability is at the heart of 10308 Holiday Main Street, and the inclusion of 6 minifigures, 2 shops and a Christmas Tram enables younger fans to really have fun with the set, and interact with all the different elements included.

Aesthetics-wise, both storefronts aren’t the most unique or interesting buildings introduced in the Winter Village collection, but as a collective, the entire set blends seamlessly into your LEGO Winter Village, and retains so much of the festive spirit that makes these sets so beloved.

While I’m still holding out for a Tavern or Bar, I think the introduction of a Main Street element to LEGO Winter Village opens up so many future possibilities with buildings and amenities that you’d expect from a quaint town’s main street, and I’m excited to see what comes next.

This is a really easy set to recommend, and one of my favourite Icons sets from 2022. With its accessible price, and so much stuff crammed in, this will be a great addition to any LEGO Winter Village collection, or for people whom this will be their very first foray into LEGO’s Seasonal/Christmas sets.

Rating and score: 4/5 ★★★★✰

Build [4] – Top marks for a great Build Together experience that is central to how this set is meant to be experienced.
Real Value [5] – One of the best-priced sets this year because you’re getting so much for US$99.99
Innovation [3] – Not much newness is introduced here, but I loved the Tram
Coolness [4] – A really fun addition to LEGO Winter Village
Keepability [4] – Easy to display, yet easy to pack away as well. A mainstay of the LEGO Winter Village collection

Thanks so much for reading this review of the 10308 Holiday Main Street!

Let me know in the comments if you plan on adding this set to your Winter Village, and how you think it fits with other set?

10308 Holiday Main Street will be released on 3 October 2022 for LEGO VIPs, and 7 October for general release, and will be available from LEGO.com / LEGO Stores.

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