A Haven for Vee

Monday, November 26, 2007

Hmmmmm, Which One to Choose...


I've been thinking about Christmas traditions of late and which memories are the most vivid and why. Oddly enough, one of my favorite memories is of my grandfather's response to the beautifully wrapped gifts beneath the tree..."Just look at that. They're much too beautiful to open!"

A favorite, but brief tradition from childhood, was the gingerbread house. It began sweetly enough one year and ended all too soon. I suppose that it ended because it was a big pain for my poor mother to pull off every year. As I recall, she tried again to revive it with my children...also brief. Still, I remember it so fondly that I want to re-create it for my grandsons. Now they are still a little young yet to appreciate such things, but I think it would be nice to start early.

Being a smart gal ;>, I'm thinking a kit is the way to go. The one above or the one below are the two that I'm considering.








First Gingerbread Source

Second Gingerbread Source

13 comments:

  1. I've never made a gingerbread house before. Maybe I should give it a try this year - might be fun.

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  2. if the kids are small...simpler is better. that way they don't get bored or become disinterested before they have something to show for it. If they are very little...how about Gingerbread men this year? or make ornies out of some gingerbread to hang on the tree.

    Now...where did I see a recipe for that... she added some white glue to make them strong....but..of course, no eating allowed. lol.....

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  3. I used to make them with the kids when they were little but I am too much of a perfectionist so it got to be not fun...LOL...it's been a few years since we bought one...maybe I'll buy one and let the kids have at it ...they are a lot older and would prolly enjoy it!
    Go for it!
    Robin

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  4. here is a site with "gingerbread" everything on it..

    http://recipes.chef2chef.net/recipe-indexa/arc-1011.htm

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  5. Here's a simpler version of the gingerbread house...I used to make them with my kids and now the grandkids. Build your house out of rice krispee squares (make it any size or shape you want). I use milk cartons for the 'forms'...and cut one large piece in half diagonally for the roof. Use icing to glue your base together...nothing will collapse! Now decorate any way you want (folow magazine pic's! Have fun.

    PS I'm sure it is more economical to buy the kit, but I've never tried one!

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  6. I gave up on the Gingerbread house - kits included :-) Target used to have a candy house kit which was much easier to construct. It was all little candy bars and gumdrops and other hard candies. Wish they'd bring that back - it was so cute completed and so easy to do.

    Manuela

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  7. I'd just go buy one...but then someone with artistic ability might just be able to pull it off. As for me, it's a wallet doing the baking!

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  8. Oh I've made them and enjoyed the reviews but I'm into kits now, and I just enjoy adding all the extra bit of candy. That's the important stuff anyways.

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  9. I love ginger bread houses! I raised 4 boys and we never did the ginger bread house thing. But, we did do cut out cookies. I have found memories of my 4 boys, cutting out the cookies, decorating and forsting them.....
    Penny

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  10. I like the first one. I have never made one looks like alot of fun. Mary

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  11. Hi Vee,
    Absolutely go with the kit!! Or, your adventures with gingerbread houses will likely be brief, too...!!! If you don't have plans to actually eat the gingerbread, try using a glue gun for reinforcement. I've never actually done this, but it sure might make things easier!!

    Linda
    xox

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  12. Never tried a gingerbread house. But good for you if you do. One son used to do one, every Christmas, when nearly grown up. And we have a succession of pictures of him and it, and his current girlfriend-of-the-year. -giggles-

    Daughter In Law makes them with her kids. Kits of course. But I was never as patient, I guess. ,-)

    Mari-Nanci

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  13. Just so you'll all know...I went with the 8.98 kit directly off Wal*mart's shelves. :)

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