The Story Behind LEGO’s Trotting Lantern for Lunar New Year

Niels Mølgård Frederiksen, the designer of the LEGO Spring Festival Trotting Lantern set, recently shared his inspiration and challenges in crafting a set that celebrates the upcoming Lunar New Year and the Year of the Snake.

We recently went hands-on with the new Trotting Lantern set, along with LEGO’s Mini Orchid and Lucky Cat, also part of the Spring Festival collection for 2025. Frederiksen detailed to iPhone in Canada in an interview how the intricate Trotting Lantern set came to life.

Design Inspiration

Frederiksen explained how the set reflects the essence of Lunar New Year festivities. “The lantern itself is a key symbol, used to light up homes and streets in a festive display of hope and prosperity,” he said. “The inclusion of the Year of the Snake character was a personal touch, symbolizing the qualities of strategy, wisdom, and creativity—qualities that align perfectly with LEGO builders.”

Here’s the Trotting Lantern set we built below with the family. The details are pretty impressive:

The upper half of the lantern opens up, while the top half can also be removed:

Overcoming Challenges

Designing intricate features while maintaining playability was no small feat. “The rotating column mechanism, which activates the light brick, needed to be functional and easy to use while preserving the lantern’s aesthetic,” Frederiksen shared. He also highlighted the challenges of creating the removable top tier that reveals festive scenes. “Balancing the structural integrity with imaginative play was a rewarding challenge,” he noted, adding that collaboration with cultural experts made sure the set stayed true to its roots.

Cultural Representation

Frederiksen emphasized LEGO’s dedication to cultural accuracy. “At the LEGO Group, we take great care to ensure sets like the Spring Festival Trotting Lantern respectfully represent traditions,” he said. “This involved extensive research and working closely with experts to guide the design process. My role was to translate these traditions into an engaging and imaginative building experience.”

The set features authentic elements like a food stall (with dumplings and chopsticks), decorations stall, and shadow theater. “These scenes are designed to reflect real aspects of the Spring Festival, adding authenticity while celebrating this important cultural event,” he explained.

Community Connection

For Frederiksen, the set is more than just a product—it’s a way to bring people together. “This set, along with other Lunar New Year sets, fosters family-building experiences and encourages people to explore the stories and traditions of the festival,” he said. “It’s not just a toy; it’s a way to connect with family, create memories, and learn about a significant cultural celebration.”

Prior to working at LEGO, Frederiksen was a teacher. He says he finds deep meaning in this work. “Knowing that our designs help families connect and preserve cultural heritage is incredibly rewarding,” he said. “The fact that parents and grandparents use these sets to pass on traditions is dear to my heart.”

The LEGO Spring Festival Trotting Lantern consists of 1,295 pieces and is meant for builders aged 9 and up, priced at $169.99 in Canada (it’s on sale for $127 on Amazon right now).

Below, you can also check out the Mini Orchid ($39.99) and Lucky Cat ($39.99) builds as well. Pretty detailed and lots of fun:

The Lucky Cat has a pendulum-waving paw, just like what you see in the traditional “Maneki-neko” that originated in Japan. The left paw waving is supposed to symbolize attracting customers and people, which is good for businesses. You can see this Lucky Cat in many businesses that celebrate the Lunar New Year.

As for the Mini Orchid, the details make it look like a real plant, and the best part is you don’t have to water it (it won’t die on you too). This is the second-most gifted set on Amazon Canada.

All of these sets are available on LEGO’s website and authorized retailers like Amazon.ca.