It's been 24 hours since the last of the LEGO Winter Village 2025 sets were announced - LEGO 41843 Family Christmas Tree and LEGO 10361 Holiday Express Train. If you've checked out the threads, fans everywhere are not being shy about sharing their thoughts! Whether you’re all about festive displays or building your ultimate train loop, you’ll want to see both the love and the debate these sets have sparked.

First Impressions: Holiday Magic on Display

Before we discuss the viseral community reaction, let's check out the sets in detail.

LEGO 10361 Holiday Express Train

The first of what rounds out the holiday offerings from LEGO this year is the new Holiday Express Train (10361). Previously leaked, with no photos, this set updates classic locomotive vibes with fun details.

The last time a train was released for this theme was almost 10 years ago with the LEGO Holiday Train (10173), which was released 10 years after the original LEGO Make & Create Holiday Train that started it all. This latest version of this train features a richly detailed locomotive and several accompanying cars, all decked out with holiday designs that fit seamlessly into any Winter Village town.

For those of you that own the 2016 version of the train, you will find that while the original version very much matched a traditional holiday color scheme, this version will fit in better with the color scheme of the LEGO Winter Village Cottage and the LEGO Santa's Visit (10293) sets.

You can purchase this set for $129.99 USD.

LEGO 41843 Family Christmas Tree

The other highly anticipated set that was kept well under is the LEGO 41843 Family Christmas Tree. It arrives on the scene with a whopping 3,171 pieces! The tree features beautifully detailed branches adorned with classic LEGO ornaments. Twinkling lights and festive decorations also capture the magic of the season.

At its base, a rotating miniature train circles, adding a dynamic element to this charming display. Beyond just a decoration, the tree’s interior hides cozy secret rooms where Santa, Mrs. Claus, and their elves prepare for the holiday festivities, giving builders a delightful peek into a busy Christmas Eve scene.

The set also includes a whimsical brick-built Cataclaws figure, which appears to be the official mascot of this winter season for LEGO. With multiple festive minifigs - including Santa himself and Mrs. Claus - this set balances both display beauty and imaginative play.

You can purchase this set for $329.99 USD.

So Why All The Ruckus?

Great question. Let's chat about that for a minute.

There have been plenty of the threads across social media platforms, praising and critiquing these new releases. In a nutshell, this is what I'm seeing:

What Fans Are Loving

Family Christmas Tree (41843)

• Builders are wowed by the tree’s size, details, and interactive play features. They consider it a “holiday showstopper!”
• Many appreciate the detailed minifigs including Santa, Mrs. Claus, and festive elves that bring the set to life.
• The rotating train and hidden rooms add layers of fun and make it a standout centerpiece for any Winter Village.

Holiday Express Train (10361)

• Fans welcome the classic locomotive design, praising its nostalgic holiday vibe.
• The color scheme featuring blue tones strikes a fresh yet traditional balance, fitting seamlessly into Winter Village layouts.
• Train collectors are excited to add a new festive engine to their growing holiday railway.

Where the Community Draws the Line

Family Christmas Tree (41843)

• A few builders feel the tree tries to do too much, struggling between playset and display piece roles.
• “Gorgeous, but my wallet hurts!” sums up a lot of the chat. With the $300 price tag a major concern for many, some fans plan to wait for sales.
• Some debates around certain design details and proportions have stirred mixed opinions.
• Others feel LEGO missed the mark on engagement (sound brick, lights) for the price point they are pushing.

Holiday Express Train (10361)

• Disappointment from fans that the train isn't motorized or lacks features at its price point.
• Train fans note the Holiday Express Train is visually sharp but not as fresh as hoped—some call it an update, not a brand-new design.
• There’s lots of chatter about wishing for a Winter Bakery, skating scene, or other village icons set rather than another train this year.

Our Hot Take?

The prices are steep. I've mentioned before that we love being "completion-ists", purchasing all the sets that are a part of the winter village themes. However, this will be the first year where we don't immediately run right out to buy all these sets. If anything, the sets we will be picking up this year are the earlier mentioned releases that will drop October 1st.

Don't get me wrong, they're both lovely. Getting my hands on the tree to motorize the train like I did with a previously released LEGO Christmas Tree would be so much fun. I also really love the design of the train this year. We just don't see these showing up in our winter village builds due to lack of space and the sets we already have built.

Share Your Thoughts!

Do you plan to pick up one (or both) of these new sets? Are you holding out for a dream Winter Bakery or another classic? Let us know below!