Essentials

100 Most Wanted Holiday Gifts: The 4.9-star-rated Santa's Visit Lego set is our favorite to gift this Christmas

By Carolin Lehmann

October 14, 2022 / 4:31 PM EDT / Essentials

CBS Essentials is created independently of the CBS News editorial staff. We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms.

lego santa's visit — Amazon/CBS Essentials

If you're gifting a Lego set this holiday season, why not go for a holiday-themed build? Read on to find out why the Santa's Visit Lego set is one of our 100 Most Wanted Holiday Gifts of 2022, and our pick for the best Lego set to gift this Christmas.

Top products in this article:

Lego Santa's Visit, $100

$100 at Amazon

Lego Ideas Tree House, $175 (reduced from $250)

$175 at Amazon

Lego Star Wars 2022 Advent Calendar, $36 (reduced from $45)

$36 at Amazon

Why we picked the Santa's Visit Lego set as a 100 Most Wanted Holiday Gift

When CBS Essentials set out to find the best Lego set of the 2022 holiday season, we had a couple things in mind. First, we wanted to find a holiday-themed Lego set -- these sets tend to be extremely popular and sell out quick. Second, we wanted to find a highly rated Lego set, one that verified buyers truly loved to assemble.

That's why we picked the 1,445-piece Santa's Visit Lego set for the CBS Essentials' 100 Most Wanted Holiday Gifts list. Part of the Lego Winter Village Collection of holiday-themed builds, it's rated a whopping 4.9 stars on Amazon.

"This was a lot of fun to put together as a family," says one Amazon reviewer. "It makes a great Christmas decoration around the house too."

Lego Santa's Visit

Get the family in the Christmas spirit early with the Lego Santa's Visit set. The charming house comes with dad, mom, girl and Santa mini figures. You can even drop Santa through the fireplace chimney. The included Christmas tree lights up (a battery is included).

Lego Santa's Visit, $100

$100 at Amazon

Best Lego holiday set alternative: Lego Holiday Main Street

Santa's Visit isn't the only new-for-2022 holiday Lego set to consider. You can't go wrong with the Holiday Main Street set either, but it's exclusively available to Lego VIP shoppers for now.

Lego Holiday Main Street

Pick up the 1,514-piece Lego Holiday Main Street set direct from Lego. It's not on sale yet for the general public, but you can purchase it now if you sign up for a Lego account. Build a streetcar, toy shop, music store and more with this set. It comes with six mini figures.

Lego Holiday Main Street, $100

$100 at Lego

More top-rated Lego sets to consider

Want to put even more Lego fun under the tree this year? Check out these other top-rated Lego sets.

Lego Star Wars 2022 Advent Calendar

The Lego Star Wars 2022 Advent Calendar is the gift that keeps giving the whole Christmas season. The daily surprises include 8 mini figures (including Darth Vader in a summer outfit), 10 mini build vehicles and 6 other mini builds. It's the perfect way to get a Star Wars fan excited for the holidays. Rated 4.9 stars by Amazon reviewers.

Lego Star Wars 2022 Advent Calendar, $36 (reduced from $45)

$36 at Amazon

Lego Marvel: I am Groot

Build a posable Baby Groot from Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" with this 476-piece Lego set. It comes with a pretend cassette tape and display nameplate. The set is recommended for ages 10 and up, though younger kids may be able to build it with adult supervision and help.

Amazon reviewers say this Lego Marvel: I am Groot set makes a great gift. (It's rated 4.9 stars.) And those who have built the set themselves says they enjoyed the experience.

"I enjoyed building this Lego set. The cassette tape was a nice addition. Groot was easy and fun to build. Great set!" raves a verified Amazon purchaser.

Lego Marvel: I am Groot, $55

$55 at Amazon

Lego Ideas Tree House

This incredibly detailed, 4.8-star-rated Lego tree house features three cabins, a tree with interchangeable summer and fall leaves and play-inspiring features including a crane, swing and a treasure chest. The 3,036-piece Lego set isn't for amateurs, though -- it's designed for ages 16 and up.

Lego Ideas Tree House, $175 (reduced from $250)

$175 at Amazon

Lego Disney 'Encanto' the Madrigal house building kit

Build the Madrigal house from Disney's "Encanto". This 587-piece Lego set is a three-level house that comes with a sticker sheet for decorating. It comes with two mini-doll figures and one micro-doll figure (of Abuela, Mirabel and Antonio), as well as capybara and butterfly figures.

Lego Disney "Encanto" the Madrigal house building kit, $50

$50 at Walmart

Lego Colosseum

The real-life Roman Colosseum may have been difficult to build, but this Lego set is a close second. It comes with 9,036 pieces -- it's meant for ages 18 and up. This set has three stories and columns of the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian orders.

This set is a Lego.com exclusive, though you can also find it through third-party resellers on Amazon.

Lego Colosseum, $550

$550 at Lego

CBS Essentials' 100 Most Wanted Holiday Gifts

It may seem early to start shopping for Christmas and Hanukkah gifts, but trust us, it's not. Last year's holiday season was riddled with supply-chain issues, and CBS News is anticipating more of the same in 2022. Plus, there's inflation -- unfortunately, prices may rise even more before December comes.

So it's time to shop for holiday gifts now. Pick out a great hiding spot and check out CBS Essentials' 100 Most Wanted Holiday Gifts of 2022. We've based our top 100 gift picks on our own bestsellers, owner reviews and our own extensive research into the most-buzzed-about gifts of 2022, such as this I am Groot Lego set, a guinea pig toy that gives birth and this pooping purple turtle.

Stay tuned to the CBS Essentials 100 Most Wanted Holiday Gifts Series for our picks of the hottest gifts to give in 2022. Our list includes some of Apple's newest products, the top toys of 2022, game-changing kitchen appliances (such as this air fryer and KitchenAid stand mixer), bestselling exercise equipment, winter jackets and so much more.