LEGO Gingerbread AT-AT Walker (it feels ridiculous just writing those words) is a relatively modest set, made up of just shy of 700 pieces (see the just-released LEGO Death Star for a much larger take on the franchise). It comes in five bags, and the whole thing took me around three hours to assemble. Even though I don’t understand the connection between Christmas and walking Imperial war machines, I was consistently giddy as I put the pieces together. This murderous vehicle packs holiday flourishes into every part of its construction.
The build starts off on a towering high note, because the first thing you do is put together Gingerbread Darth Vader. It’s the standard Sith Lord minifigure, but from the tip of his helmet to the hem of his fabric cape, he’s gingerbread-brown. And his details look like cookie toppings. He comes with a Lightsaber accessory, of course, but in his other hand you place a cookie with red and green sprinkles. It might be the best minifigure I own.
You might not think things could stay at the extraordinarily high level of a gingerbread Vader for long, but they really do throughout the rest of the build, especially the first major portion. The first part of the AT-AT you build is the chunky body of the thing, the torso. That might sound like a boring piece to build, but within it lies a veritable Christmas miracle.
You build the base (the belly), complete with four circular pieces where you’ll eventually attach the legs. You then stack some blocks to make a wrapped Christmas present and a little fireplace, complete with translucent flames pieces. On the mantle goes a little green wreath and a pair of stockings. In front of the fireplace is a latticed grate and a table with a mug on it (we can assume Vader likes to relax with a warm cup of cocoa). Then you plop down a chair and decorate the wall behind it with another wreath and a candy cane. Later, you’ll enclose this room with hinged side panels that hide it from view entirely, unless you want to open it up to show it off.
This room is a hidden pocket of holiday cheer, and I absolutely love it. It’s a Christmas tableau for Vader to enjoy when he’s done blasting Rebel scum for the day. It’s the delightful surprise at the center of this set.
The rest of the build is quick and enjoyable to assemble as well. You make the AT-AT’s giant head and legs, which are decked out with colorful circular dots to add a seasonal touch. Some accent pieces are darker brown to add visual depth. The head is adorned with two candy canes in place of the blasters, and the feet are festooned with icing and ribbons. Along the sides flanking the AT-AT, you string up multi-colored Christmas lights.
Some of my favorite details are the white pieces where the flat brown panels come together. These are meant to evoke the frosting you’d use to connect the walls of a gingerbread house. They really tie the whole build together.
Overall, I have no real complaints about the LEGO Gingerbread AT-AT Walker. It’s one of those perfectly scaled sets that doesn’t take too long to build and, while it’s substantial, it doesn’t take up too much shelf space. The modest scope also keeps it in the $59.99 price range, which is just right for something as silly-yet-delightful as this.
I still don’t fully understand the connection between Star Wars and Christmas decorations, but it got us a LEGO Gingerbread AT-AT, and that’s a real gift. Any LEGO fan, either with kids or without, will get a ton of Christmas joy putting this set together. Merry Christmas, Vader.
LEGO Star Wars Gingerbread AT-AT Walker is available for $59.99, exclusively through the LEGO Store. For more, check out our picks for the best LEGO Star Wars sets available.
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