Gingerbread Men and Women and Houses too
Sugarplum fantasies and gingerbread dreams, that’s what this special occasion is all about! Build a holiday memory by decorating gingerbread houses, a sweet and spicy tradition for all ages. Guests come with a few favorite candies and nuts and go home with one or more decorated houses! Use the full meal menu above or concentrate on snacks only with the top part of the menu. What a fun activity to look forward to every year! Visit here for details.
Once you have the pieces of your gingerbread house put together it’s time to decorate. Using your frosting mortar decorate your house using candies, cookes, and other edible treats. Here are a few decorating ideas to help you get started.
• Red and black licorice bites, ropes and twists
• Pretzel sticks, large and small
(fences, windows)
• Candy Pebbles
(border around house front or back)
• Melted Lifesavers
(pour on wax paper to create stained glass for windows)
• Hershey’s chocolate bars
(break pieces apart for shutters and doors)
• Chocolate chips
(as accent pieces of dark shingles
• Round swirled red and white peppermint candies
• Ice Cream cones
(cover in frosting for trees)
• Almonds, pecans or other nuts
(use as roof material)
• Shredded Wheat
(hay or roof material)
Even the most seasoned Gingerbread house architect can use a few helpful hints. Here are some suggestions that might help to make your construction more enjoyable and trouble free.
• Cut all windows and doors before baking.
• You may build your house in stages over a few days or a few weeks time.
• Bake pieces one day, attach pieces for construction at another time, and add decorations even later.
• When you get ready to construct the house, spread your icing directly on a strong piece of cardboard, plywood, or a flat unbreakable tray to cover area where house will be built. This helps to create a strong foundation.
• To prevent having a lopsided house, be sure to hold the cookie sides in place until dry, or they won’t line up. My kids had trouble with this step because they were so excited to decorate the house with candy.
• You don’t need a large quantity of candy to decorate. Variety is the key and less is truly more.
• Food coloring can be added to brighten up your gingerbread house. However, certain food coloring will thin out your mortar and in most cases the candy will provide enough color for your house.
Grove Park Inn National Gingerbread House Competition 11-17-08
GRAND PRIZE WINNER: Mrs. Billie Mochow of Burns, TN
From Grove Park Inn, Billie Mochow from Burns, Tennessee has been named the Grand Prize winner of the 2008 National Gingerbread House Competition at The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa in Asheville, N.C. Seven judges deliberated for more than six hours on Monday to determine the winners among four categories: Adult, Teen 13-17 and Youth 9 to 12 and Child 8 and under. More than 600 spectators watched the judging process in the resort’s Grand Ballroom. There were a total of 124 Youth, 73 Teen and 203 Adult entries in the 17th Annual National Gingerbread House Competition.
The difference between the grand prize winner, a whimsical holiday carousel by Billie Mochow of Burns, Tenn., and the first place winner, was just a couple points. Mochow’s dedication may have made the difference. She said she ended up having to bake the deer for the carousel 36 times.
Also new: A doubled cash prize for the grand prize winner. Mochow, who won first place last year, took home $3,000 and a two-night stay at the inn. More than $12,000 in cash and prizes were awarded during Monday night’s ceremony. Read More Here.
A beginners dream! This Gingerbread house is not too complicated to create It is made from a pre-baked Gingerbread house kit. The pre-baked kits usually include the pre-baked Gingerbread pieces, decorating icing, assorted candies, decorating bags and tips, cardboard base and instructions. To decorate this one use white icing mix (included in kit), granulated sugar, gum drop candy rings, star candies, mini multi-colored candies, candy rounds (included in kit). Pretty much all you need to make this Gingerbread house is included in the pre-baked kit. A fun one to make with the kids!!
Old-Time Candy Shoppe Gingerbread House
Isn’t this one darling! It is made from a pre-baked Gingerbread house kit. The pre-baked kits usually include the pre-baked Gingerbread pieces, decorating icing, assorted candies, decorating bags and tips, cardboard base and instructions. This particular Gingerbread house is decorated with: Assorted Colored Candy Sticks, White Gum Balls, Pastel Candy Wafers, Pastel Nonpareils Candies, Mini Tart Disc Candies, Marshmallows, Jelly Spearmint Leaves, Striped Gum Sticks, and Sugar Cones. If this sounds sweet and yummy to you, visit here for instructions! Have fun, this one really is super adorable.
You will love this one and it is not too difficult to make! This is a gorgeous stately Georgian Gingerbread House and true to its heritage it does include Georgian Colonial features: Square, symmetrical shape. Paneled front door at center, Decorative crown over front door, Flattened columns on each side of door, Five windows across front, Paired chimneys and a Pitched roof. Visit here for details BHG to make this lovely Colonial Gingerbread House.
