December 1 has a habit of arriving before anyone in the house has bought the advent calendar: Sorting it out in early October feels excessive right up to the moment it saves you a last-minute drive, and this year’s Star Wars edition from LEGO happens to be below its usual price already: the LEGO Star Wars Advent calendar 2026 is $35 on Amazon, down from $44. Anyone can order at that price, with or without a Prime membership.
Mando and Grogu in Holiday Sweaters
The 2026 calendar is built around The Mandalorian, and its two stars turn up dressed for the season. Behind the doors are minifigures of the Mandalorian and Grogu wearing holiday sweaters, joined by Moff Gideon, Carson Teva and a Jawa. LEGO also includes figures of IG-11 and a Pit Droid in festive colors. For collectors, the sweater versions are the draw and the detail that sets this year’s calendar apart from a regular Mandalorian set.
Ships make up a large share of the daily surprises. Eight vehicles appear as mini builds: Mando’s N-1 Starfighter, the Razor Crest, a speeder bike, a Sandcrawler, an Imperial Shuttle, the Mandalorian Gauntlet Fighter, an Imperial Light Cruiser and an X-wing done up in festive colors. I’d set expectations on scale, because these are palm-sized models of a handful of pieces each, made to be assembled in five minutes before school. Nobody should expect something to rival the big display sets.
The remaining doors hide creatures and scenery from the series. There is a Mudhorn, a Bantha, a Dewback and a Blurrg, plus three small tables carrying beskar, gifts and Moff Gideon’s accessories, a weapons rack and Grogu’s hoverpram. In total the box holds 293 pieces, and LEGO recommends it from age six. Younger builders may need a hand with the smallest parts, which is half the point of the ritual anyway. LEGO pitches the calendar as something to build alone or with family and friends, and it works well for siblings who take turns opening the doors, provided someone keeps a fair count of whose day it is.
What makes these calendars work, in my view, is the pace. One tiny build per day turns into a growing scene on a shelf or a windowsill by the third week, and children start inventing stories that mix a festive X-wing with whatever else is lying around. The pieces and characters are compatible with other LEGO Star Wars sets, sold separately, so nothing ends up orphaned in January. Adults who grew up with the films tend to be at least as invested as the kids, and I see no reason to pretend otherwise. As a gift, it has the advantage of being opened early: handed over in late November, it fills the weeks before the main presents arrive.