December is the quietest month of the year for new releases. That’s true. But it is not a quiet month if you’re watching for buying opportunities. December breaks cleanly into three phases, each with its own logic. Miss that structure and you either buy too early, too late, or miss the best deal of the quarter.
Practical planning: what should you do with this month?
Release months are tricky because every set briefly feels important. Split the list before prices start moving: sets you want to build immediately, and sets you only want at the right price. Buy the first group on availability; track the second group with a price alert.
| Moment | Action | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Before release | Make a shortlist of no more than three sets | It stops the whole wave feeling urgent |
| First week | Check stock before price | Popular sets move on availability first |
| After 3-6 weeks | Set alerts at 10-15% under RRP | That is when retailer gaps usually start |
| Around promotion weeks | Compare against historical low | A promotion only matters if it beats the normal pattern |
My rule: buy on day one only if you genuinely want to build it in the first week or need it as a gift. Everything else can wait for the first measurable price move.
Phase 1: Christmas purchases (1–18 December)
The ordering deadline for online delivery guaranteed before Christmas:
| Retailer | Order deadline for 24 December |
|---|---|
| Amazon.nl (standard) | 18 December |
| Bol.com (standard) | 18 December |
| Wehkamp | 17 December |
| LEGO.com (standard) | 16 December |
| LEGO.com Pickup | 22 December |
| Intertoys (in-store) | 24 December |
After 18 December: express only, Pickup, or in-store. After 22 December: in-store purchase only.
For gift ideas by budget and age: see the LEGO Christmas gift guide 2026.
Phase 2: year-end clearance (26 December – 5 January)
This is the most underrated buying window of the year. After the Christmas peak, retailers have overstock on sets that didn’t sell through completely during the season. Amazon.nl, Bol.com and Wehkamp typically start an End of Year Sale on 26 December.
Sets that typically drop furthest:
- Mid-size Icons and Star Wars sets from Q1 2026 that survived Black Friday but are still in stock.
- City and Friends sets from the August wave that sold more slowly than expected.
- Technic sets that held RRP all year.
Expect 15–25 percent below RRP. On some specific sets, for instance a City line that trailed all year, that can approach 30 percent. These are sometimes better price drops than Black Friday, simply because the popular sets are already gone and the overstock prices genuinely have to move.
Personally I check the Amazon.nl LEGO City category every year on 26 December. There are always surprises there.
Phase 3: January 2027 preview and pre-orders (15–31 December)
Between 15 and 28 December LEGO officially reveals most of the January 2027 sets. What to expect per theme:
- Star Wars: possibly a new UCS flagship or mid-scale additions.
- City: new wave 1 with a new sub-theme (continuation of Lava Land or a new world).
- Icons: new modular building or 18+ vehicle flagship.
- Marvel: additions for recent Disney+ series and films.
- Friends: new Heartlake City expansion wave.
Insider pre-orders typically open in week 4 of December. For anyone wanting a popular new set with certainty: order via pre-order, not on 1 January itself. Popular sets at LEGO.com sell out quickly on 1 January.
What not to do in December
Two mistakes I see every year:
- Buying advent calendars after 1 December. They’re sold out or back at RRP. If you want one, you should have bought it in September or October.
- Waiting on a “last chance” set until after 22 December. Sets with a retiring flag heading toward 1 January 2027 disappear from the active catalogue between 28 December and 5 January. If you want one, buy before 22 December.
The plan in one overview
- 1–18 December: Christmas gift purchases, online deadline 18 December.
- 15–28 December: January 2027 announcements, pre-orders open.
- 26 December: Year-end clearance starts at Amazon.nl, Bol.com, Wehkamp.
- 1 January 2027: New wave live at LEGO.com and major retailers.
Timeline based on historical patterns 2023-2025. I treat Christmas deadlines as planning guidance, then verify current delivery windows and live stock before calling a set a buy.
Sets for the final gift rounds
Seasonal sets and gifts where December delivery matters more than the final euro.
Best for each buyer type
December picks for last gifts and clearance: buy only when delivery and stock are as strong as the price.
Holiday Express Train
Holiday Express Train is a delivery-first pick; a late price drop is useless if it misses the gift deadline.
Advent Calendar 2026
Advent Calendar 2026 is the safest December gift only while retailers still promise delivery before Christmas.
LEGO ǀ Marvel Advent Calendar 2026
LEGO ǀ Marvel Advent Calendar 2026 belongs on the clearance watchlist after 26 December, not in a rushed pre-Christmas basket.
LEGO ǀ Disney Princess Advent Calendar 2026
Set an alert for LEGO ǀ Disney Princess Advent Calendar 2026 and wait for post-Christmas clearance unless it is needed as a gift now.
Three phases, three decisions
December has a hard deadline on 18 December, a buying opportunity on 26 December, and a pre-order window in week 4. Think per phase and you miss nothing.
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Before 18 December
Order Christmas gifts
Order deadline for guaranteed delivery before 24 December: 18 December at Amazon.nl and Bol.com; after that date only express, Pickup or in-store.
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After 26 December
Year-end clearance
Amazon.nl, Bol.com and Wehkamp start an End of Year Sale on overstock on 26 December: mid-size Icons, City and Technic sets drop to 15–30 percent below RRP.
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Week 4 December
Insider pre-orders January 2027
LEGO announces the January wave between 15 and 28 December; Insider pre-orders open in week 4: order via pre-order, not on 1 January itself.
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Sets with a retiring flag
Buy before 22 December
Sets stopping on 1 January 2027 disappear from the active catalogue between 28 December and 5 January: wait and you lose your chance or pay secondary market prices.