When I went to the LEGO Store over the weekend, it was strictly to hunt down and obtain the LEGO Star Wars 2013 Advent Calendar set (which I did). But ever since, something was nagging at the back of my mind, urging me to go back to the LEGO Store. And there was only way to scratch the itch, and that was to return to the store and pick up the 2013 LEGO City Advent Calendar 60024, which has now been released in stores as well!

I’m honestly not the type of person who’s into LEGO City. No slight toward the theme–it’s the classic and there are some great sets in it–but my tastes have always swung more towards the licensed sets like LEGO Star Wars and LEGO Lord of the Rings and so forth. As such, I’ve never taken much of an interest in the non-licensed LEGO Advent Calendar sets that have come out over the years.

That said, while I was perusing the store to pick up my LEGO Star Wars 2013 Advent Calendar over the weekend, I spared a few seconds to glance at this year’s LEGO City Advent Calendar. I didn’t give it much thought, but clearly my subconscious was impressed, because I’ve been thinking about the set ever since.

Collecting the LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series for the past few years has really opened my eyes a lot toward non-licensed LEGO Minifigures, so I couldn’t help getting some of this year’s 60024 LEGO City Advent Calendar Minifigures stuck in my mind. I mean, come on–a LEGO Robber minifigure? A female firefighter minifigure? A crazy-cool astronaut with a star wand?!

Predictably, I relented and ended up going back to the LEGO Store and picking up a set, where it was priced at $29.99. Amazon has the 2013 LEGO City Advent Calendar available for $29.99 plus no tax and free shipping, so I could have not paid tax and saved a few dollars, but I needed instant gratification to satiate my collecting hunger.

It’s going to be an excruciatingly long wait until I can begin opening the doors on this set in December 2013, that’s for sure…