LEGO's 2025 Lunar New Year (Year of the Snake) Collection: A Detailed Look at the Trotting Lantern

LEGO continues its tradition of celebrating Lunar New Year with themed sets. Following the 2021 Ox and 2024 Dragon sets, 2025's Year of the Snake brings three new offerings: a Lucky Cat, a Good Fortune set featuring classic Chinese imagery (fan, calligraphy set, ingots), and a magnificent Trotting Lantern (set #80116), the subject of this review.

The Trotting Lantern, priced at $129.99 and comprising 1295 pieces, is a stunning example of intricate LEGO design. Its exterior is richly detailed, boasting red lanterns, gold accents, and exquisitely rendered cloud and rock scenes on the lantern's walls.

Construction is a layered process, building the core lantern first, then adding progressively more intricate details. This layered approach creates a satisfying build experience reminiscent of the now-retired LEGO Carousel.

Inspired by Han Dynasty lanterns, the model incorporates a light brick and rotating mechanism to project a silhouette image onto the lantern's sides. While the advertised wall projection feature is somewhat underwhelming, the rotating image within the lantern itself is a charming detail.

The lantern's upper section opens to reveal three delightful miniature scenes: a dumpling stall, a decorations stall, and a shadow puppet theater. This hidden element adds a layer of playful surprise. The set includes five minifigures, one in a snake costume, along with accessories like dumplings, a red envelope, a shadow puppet, and chopsticks.

The set's value proposition hinges on the buyer's priorities. While the light-up and rotating mechanism might not justify the price alone, the sheer aesthetic beauty and the intricate hidden dioramas make it a compelling purchase for those seeking a visually stunning and intricately detailed Lunar New Year celebration. Despite its 9+ age rating, the complexity suggests a more mature building experience.

The LEGO Trotting Lantern (#80116) is currently available at Amazon and the LEGO Store. For more LEGO recommendations, explore our guides on the best LEGO sets overall, the best Marvel LEGO sets, and the most expensive LEGO sets.