Holiday Chess Set

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?  On the board, LEGO is glistening!  A beautiful sight, happy tonight, chess play in a winter wonderland!

What better way to kick off the LEGO holiday season than to build and play one of the most popular games, chess?  This chess set was created as an amalgam of the LEGO themes of collector chess sets and the annual holiday series.  The themed set pits the two main holiday figures against each other, Jack Frost against Santa Claus.  Can Santa Claus stave off the dead of winter and successfully deliver toys to the world's children, or will Jack Frost finally freeze over the holiday season once and for all?

The 50x50 board is bordered by a large green wreath & poinsettia leaves.  Each side's theme is the antithesis of the other and yet beautifully complements the holiday theme.  The "white" side is the aggressor, Jack Frost and his winter minions; the "black" side is Santa with his many elves.  The former is bathed in white lights and an icy crystal flair; the latter is fully decorated with colored lights and the more traditional "Christmassy" theme.  In total, there are 2,902 parts.

The pieces are described below:

White Side:

Pawns: What could be more twisted than for good ol' Jack to twist the innocuous icon of a snowy winterland, the snowman.  Eager for mischief, the eight pawns are evil snowmen, ready to pounce with snowballs.  Each one has a unique face or shade of color and is surrounded by white lights.

Knights: Two wolves bearing the toy that every child has a love/hate relationship with, a jack-in-the-box occupy the knight's role.  One of their arms are completely iced over.

Bishops: These two trees, or bishops, are the non-traditional variations of the holiday season.  Covered in white lights, these trees can be thought of two ways.  Either they are completely covered in snow or are the more retro fake trees of years past.  Both are capped with an icy ornament.

Rooks: In the icy corners of the Christmas-like village sit the two rook ice towers.  The sides are bordered with white lights and adorned with silver and gold.

Queen: Another menacing creature of the polar region is the Abominable Snowman, which makes the perfect "muscle" behind Frost's punch.  The petesdal is covered in lights, icicles, and of course Jack's initials.  This demon creature is packing serious snowballs for all who dare cross him.

King: The Snow King himself on his throne, Jack Frost is covered in icicles & lights, and armed for war against the holiday season.

Black Side:

Pawns: The elves, full of love, cheer, and bearing gifts, act as the pawns.  Covered in colored lights in all their splendor, each elf has their unique face, shiny present box, and candy-striped trousers.

Knights: Apparently, Rudolph has a twin, as the duo are the Knights.  Both reindeer bear elves and a glowing red nose for visibility in the blizzard ahead.

Bishops: No holiday set would be complete without a few of these bishops, or traditional Christmas trees.  Both are covered in colored lights and ornaments, and a golden, shiny top.

Rooks: Not only beautiful, but tasty too, the other two corners are Rook gingerbread houses.  Both hold two wreaths and are topped with a blanket of snow.  Both are bordered with colored lights and adorned with gold and silver.

Queen: Forever loyal and by Santa's side, the cheerful Mrs. Claus takes her role as the Christmas queen.  Her pedestal is loaded with colorful lights, cherries, wreaths, and candy cane poles.  Full of love in her heart she bears more gifts and cares for the animals of the winterland.

King: The king and holiday icon himself, waving from his sleigh, is the Fat Man himself, Santa Claus.  His cheerful cheer of "Ho Ho Ho" adorns his pedestal and is covered in holiday decor as well.  The sleigh is outlined in gold.

May this model lift your spirits, raise your holiday spirit, and add to this time of year's excitement for all involved.  Please support this model that it may be part of the LEGO holiday theme for years to come; without you, this will not be possible.  Until then, I say "Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah, and Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"  

Thank you all!