I’m quickly being sucked up by the red and green vortex that is Christmas. Things are spinning faster as the bottom of the drain approaches, and I’m realizing that everything’s not going to get done. I’ve put the good enough stamp on the decorating, the baking will be this weekend and I suspect there will be some late nights wrapping and sewing. I’m in New Jersey tonight for work — until Thursday. Santa gave me an early gift this morning — my flight from O’Hare to Newark was canceled, so I was stuck (oh boohoo!) in O’Hare, with no interruptions, sewing for several hours. I told MeMum yesterday I was hoping for a little delay, and I got my wish! Did you know there are times when you can be happy about airport delays???
Anyway, back to the subject. In our family we like to have a little gingerbread house competition at Christmastime. When I was 14, I found a gingerbread recipe and pattern in a Better Homes & Garden magazine and I’ve made gingerbread houses off and on since then. We don’t make them every year, but the kids seem to really enjoy it. Last year was the best yet — everyone took their time and put some thought into their houses.
It usually takes me a day to bake the gingerbread. Knowing that I would be out-of-town this week, I baked the houses yesterday so that they’ll be ready for our 2007 competition on friday night. Sweetie Pie was a huge help — we had a little assembly line going and she saved me several hours worth of work. Plus, it’s more fun to work together — we even enlisted the help of TheManoftheHouse to roll the balls of dough around and soften them while he watched tv.
People sometimes ask me why I don’t just buy the gingerbread house kits and save all the work. The cost would probably be about the same when you consider that the kits include the candy for the decorations. I think the size of the house is what keeps me making them from scratch. These houses are a bit bigger than the kits. They’re even bigger than the original pattern — I doubled the size. If you’re interested in trying to make your own, I’ve put the recipe for the gingerbread (along with some crude pictures of my templates so that you can make your own pattern), on a page in my recipe section. This really is a fun activity to do with kids. Heck, even the grown ups like it — I think BigDaddy was one of the biggest kids last year — his house came complete with a fire escape!
This is a picture of last year’s winning house, made by the champion team of TheManoftheHouse and TheSecondChild. They built a frat house. I’m not quite sure how they won — I personally preferred the house built by my nephew and MyCrazyBIL. I think maybe the anatomically correct frat people who were partying on the balcony may have clinched the deal for the winning team!
XOXO,
Anna
YAHOO you got your wish of a delay and some time for sewing. Hope you can cross something off your list.
OMG those ginger people are hysterical. I dang near spit out my water when I saw them. I’m thinking your family would be fun to hang with. Love the sense of humor. You are a trouper sister making homemade gingerbread for all your peeps. Nice of Sweetiepie to pitch in. I’m thinking she’s a keeper.
Hugs – Karen
We make gingerbread houses every year too. We have different things that always make their way onto our house like pine trees in the yard, a wreath on the front door and a swimming pool. One other thing always ends up on our gingerbread house’s yard: deer poop made from Raisinettes. My hubby and boys think that is the funniest thing ever! The girls and I think it is an eyeroller, of course! ;)
At least the Frat kids were playing nice!!! I just watched the Gingerbread House Throw Down with Bobby Flay, can’t wait to see what you come up with.
My son and I used to make gingerbread houses, and one year we made a train. Another happy memory, as I’m sure this one will always be for your children. LOL! The frat house is pretty funny!
OMG are you crazy whipping up a Gingerbread house at this time??? WOW you are my hero!!! Even I didn’t attempt that one. Can’t wait to see what you do with the house. I’ve never made one.
Ahhh, so much fun! We usually make one too but we’re feeling kinda lazy this year so we may just come back and look at yours! And you’re right, it’s waaaaay better to make one from scratch than from a kit.
Barry made a wonderful Gingerbread house last year but this silly little house is so damp that is just went soft and disintegrated into a ruin! It tasted delicious though!
Wow! What fun. I’ve never made a Gingerbread house but I’ve always wanted to give it a try.
What great looking houses…anatomically correct ones too! Great pictures. Thanks for sharing!
Now Anna, if you hadn’t mentioned the anatomical correctness of the party-ers then I wouldn’t have noticed! I keep seeing all these wonderful gingerbread houses in blogland and have to admit that I have never made one – maybe this is the year to change that! I’m on to my last two orders and as soon as they are done I can concentrate on my own christmas preparations! Hooooooooraaaaay!
Have a lovely time, Lucy xxx
Amazing Gingerbread houses!
I must confess, I had noticed the anatimically correct couple, & wondered if I was seeing things!LOL.
I have never made one, & am quite sure I never will! haha. They are not such a big thing over here, but they are very intriguing.
how funny…the frat house!
I love your tradition. I bet it is fun to create the houses together. :)
Hahaha – that frat house is a scream!
What a fun family tradition.
Except I’d hate making all that gingerbread – glad you had sweetiepie to help you!
Ohmygosh, I chuckled to myself when I saw those frat people. What a hoot!
I never made a gingerbread house–can you believe it? Not sure about Brian, but it’s a tradition I hope to start with our little one in a few years.
I’ve found joy in those little “annoyances” of life, like airport delays, too.
Will you be venturing in to the city while you’re in NJ? I always enjoy your pictures of Manhattan.
XO
Oh Anna Lou! What can I do to help? You have so much going on? Can I just move in and be the downstairs maid? Can’t wait to see the Gingerbread houses from this year. Hope you get home safe and sound. Say Hello to “NY” from me………… xoxo jewels
bwah ha ha! anatomically correct ginger-Greeks??? That’s fab.
Love the pics – can’t wait to see this year’s final products!
Those houses are fab! We made one from scratch last week too, though it’s not as splendid as yours – but then it was our first time :-)
Making them from scratch is a tremendous amount of work…way to go! I love the mini wheats on the roof…that’s a hoot…LOL
How I love the photos of the gingerbread creating! It is a lot of fun to do, but I’m terrible at it, so I buy the kits. Love last year’s winner – very creative!! Can I come to your house next year and help you bake gingerbread? Pleeeeeeeeze?!?