When my girls were about 2 and 4 years old, we started the tradition of having a gingerbread house making party every Christmas Season. 10 years later, we are still going strong. 3 families rotate houses. One "hosts" the party, makes dinner, while the others bring dessert and appetizers. Everyone brings their own "house". The first year we had much to learn. We struggled to keep the sides of the house up with frosting. That led us to eventually using a glue gun...a housemaker secret that's golden! Now everyone shows up with an already "constructed" house, ready to decorate, cookie sheet and all. We use leftover Halloween candy for decorating, wheat chex with powdered sugar (this year) and graham crackers for rooftops, coconut for snow...there are so many different ideas we come up with every year. After so many years, it's a seamless party, that is purely relaxing and fun. Each set of siblings comes up with such a unique house...it's so much fun to see what they turn out. And they love it and look forward to it every year as well. Good food, good friends, good memories. I can hardly wait til next year's party.
Starting from the beginning...
Yummy appetizers with fruit fondue for dessert!
The table pre-lasgna, salad and bread! It was so yummo!
Doesn't that just make you want to run out and make fondue? Chocolate fondue with fruit and angle food cake. There were other treats as well such as square pretzels topped with a rolo and a pecan. Sounds weird? Don't knock it til you try it...and can't stop trying it!
Marshmallow, peanut, m&m popcorn bonanza. This one was a winner! (Plus, you can't have just one dessert...it's a rule. It is a party, after all.)
My Hayden and his cute Gingerbread train. He was very excited to have something of his own to decorate this year and the girls (who seems to be perfectionistic) were happy to have their house back to themselves.
This house has a graham cracker garage with a car parked in it (out of candy, of course). A hershey bar fence with the gates swinging open. The smarties are stacked in a circular fasion with licorice red rope to form a gazebo that hosts a fire pit. The front yard was dusted in snow.
Oh my...we are full! But we're happy!
8 comments:
Sounds like a fun party. Your girls did a great job on their house! And that fruit looks yummilicious. I wish there was more fruit and less candy during this time of the year.
wow! very artistic and fun (and detailed!) you can never make fun of grapefruit anymore - you two are more alike than you let on!!!
That looks like fun! Except I'm sorry, but those marshmallow popcorn whatever look disgusting. (Just being honest...) :)
WIsh I could have been there!
OK, this wasn't a good post to read while I am trying to curb my winter cravings, I think I'll go eat some gummy bears now...and chocolate, and maybe a few cookies...
A gingerbread house with a fire pit? Welcome to the 20th century. Fabulous idea and fun tradition to share with good friends. Now, tell us more about the pretzels with rolo's on top?!.....
I want the recipe for the marshmallow treats and who are the other couples you have been doing this with? Fun tradition.
Sorry, it's me Carolyn. I am under Jeff's name again.
I love this tradition! And what darling houses (and train)! We got our house 1/3 decorated and then it sat on the counter for 3 weeks. Then I threw it out! What a laugh :)
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