We are just ten days away from Christmas and I am sure you are in the process of decorating your house and making it festive for the holidays. Similar to carving pumpkins for Halloween, it is a MUST to decorate your very own gingerbread house for Christmas! Decorating your own gingerbread house is the perfect activity to do with your kids; it is sure to keep them entertained for at least an hour. It is also a great activity for kids of all ages; decorating gives your kids the freedom to design and get creative! In my opinion, the hardest part about decorating gingerbread houses is actually having the patience to let the icing dry for the wall and roof joints. Good news! Barry’s Buns is selling pre-assembled gingerbread houses with some minimal white neutral icing to get the creative juices flowing! After you pick up your house from Barry’s Buns, stop by Nuts to You to stock up on candy to cover your house!
Before you start your house, think about your design. Brit.co has some ideas to get you started. Do you want to go with a red peppermints and candy cane theme? Or how about a green or rainbow colored theme? It’s also good to think about the roof. Do you want it to be striped with rows of candy or solid? And consider the windows… do you want to make them with icing or a certain piece of candy? Pretzels? Peppermints? Lollipops? Do you want to outline the windows? Show curtains?
Make sure you have glue! Remodelaholic recommends royal icing. They buy Wilton Meringue Powder and add water and powdered sugar based on the recipe on the can.
Remodelaholic also recommends that you look for inspiration around you. Is there a house in your neighborhood or on your way to work that you love? How would you replicate it on a Gingerbread house?
Photo Credit: Remodelaholic
Oh, Honestly has some ideas for what candy to use. Some ideas for the roof include:
- Nonpareils
- Andes Mints
- Shredded Wheat
- Graham Crackers
- M&M’s
- Skittles
- Peppermints
- Licorice
- Peach Rings
- Gum Drops
Source: https://twirlingbetty.wordpress.com/tag/christmas-gingerbread-house/
Other Ideas
- Licorice, candy canes, or smarties for walkways
- Marshmallows for Snowmen
- Ice cream cones for trees
- Tootsie Rolls for a log pile
- Cinnamon Sticks for a log pile
- Pretzels for siding
- Powdered sugar to mimic snow
Source: Goodhousekeeping.com
Don’t delay! Stop by the MARKET Thursday and Friday from 9am-6pm and Saturday from 8am-5pm to pick up your own pre-fabricated gingerbread house from Barry’s Buns and get your candy from Nuts to You.
