What a fun wintertime family project making gingerbread houses can be! Make one or several, creating a whole festive scene. Just clear out a space where you can leave them for a while and work on it piece by piece!
TIP: If you are leaving the houses unattended, guard them from the family pets!
TIP: If you are leaving the houses unattended, guard them from the family pets!
I wish I could tell you that I had a hand in making this but I was at home, preparing our family holiday dessert party, while my daughter, Shannon, granddaughters – Sara, Kenzie, Madalyn, Amelia, Nora – and grand daughters in-law Claire and Nicole were all producing this amazing Gingerbread House Village! Shannon has a large homeschool classroom at her house that makes such a perfect workspace.
You’ll notice that every edifice is made of baked gingerbread, not graham crackers. This took much time and care. Claire and her family have traditionally made gingerbread houses every year. The one pictured below earned them 2nd place in a big contest!
Claire’s award-winning Gingerbread Bakery!
I love the ingenuity that goes into every design. Nicole added a pretty blue pond made from melted blue Starburst candies (pictured below.) There are so many fun details you can iinclude – just use your imagination!
Besides the obvious – gingerbread – craft and decorate your houses with gum drops, colored candies such as Necco wafers (they make great shingles on a roof) and just about any candy that has a reasonably long shelf life.
Royal icing is excellent mortar to hold the walls together and it makes beautiful decorations, as well! There are many recipes for gingerbread houses. Try this one from Food Network, which also includes instructions for making royal icing- GINGERBREAD HOUSE RECIPES and INSTRUCTIONS
Here is a video montage of amazing Gingerbread Houses that you will love.
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~If you are viewing this by email, just click on the title and come over to my blog to view it.~
Take a look at this gorgeous blue Gingerbread House for Hanukkah that I pinned. Isn’t it pretty? You Can Pin It Here
Finally, let’s take one more look at our family’s holiday village. Next year, I fully intend to be in on the fun!
Have you ever made a gingerbread house? Got any cute ideas we can try? What other family holiday traditions do you enjoy?
Enjoy!
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