Bleeding Espresso

15 December 2008

gingerbread house decorating fun–online!

I’ve noticed in my blog stats that quite a few people have come looking for a gingerbread house to decorate. How do they end up here, you ask? Well it’s all because of the “Decorate Your Own Virtual Gingerbread House” post from last December.

In light of this, I thought hey, the template is still up at Jenny B. Harris‘ Home Sweet Home, so why not make it a tradition to decorate a gingerbread house every year (so long as Jenny keeps up the cottage)?

It’s highly unlikely to happen offline even though I’ve *always* wanted to make a gingerbread house. I even bought a kit one year, but it was during law school and by the time exams were over, so was my attention span.

Anyway, here’s the Official 2008 Bleeding Espresso Gingerbread House:

Go here to decorate your own!

And talk about a great holiday activity for kids–no clean-up necessary!

Have you ever made a real live gingerbread house?

Please share your secrets and tips!

***Remember you still have until midnight tomorrow to enter to win a copy of The Feast of the Seven Fishes!

18 beans of wisdom »

18 beans of wisdom to “gingerbread house decorating fun–online!”

Gil on 15 Dec 2008 at 6:55 am #

Small World as I just polished off the last of the gingerbread that my daughter made and brought over last week.

Mmmm sounds great to me, Gil!
Homebody at Heart on 15 Dec 2008 at 7:12 am #

No, but it must have been one of those things I was going to get around to doing someday because I have a mould for one. That would be my tip!

Ooh, good idea! Thanks
Beatriz on 15 Dec 2008 at 8:36 am #

Yes, a couple times with Nick, loved it. I am liking the virtual version too.

Beatriz’s last blog post..Dear Santa,

Oooh you’re tempting me, Beatriz….
girasoli on 15 Dec 2008 at 9:42 am #

Fun website! I am going to let my kids in my class decorate their houses tomorrow in class and send the website info home to their parents. Thanks for the link! Glad to discover Jenny’s blog also. Safeway (grocery store) sent me an email yesterday with a link to decorate a gingerbread man – not as elaborate as the house, but fun for kids (of all ages?). We decorate real gingerbread cookies in our class. I have never tackled the house though. Here’s the link to the gingerbread man.

http://www.safeway.com/ifl/grocery/Holiday-Game#iframetop

girasoli’s last blog post.."favorite"~ PhotoHunt

How fun! Thanks for the link! I think I have some decorating to do….
nyc/caribbean ragazza on 15 Dec 2008 at 10:16 am #

That is too funny.

I made one years ago. I think it was part of a HomeEc project. I can’t remember any tips other than try not to eat all the candy before making the house.

nyc/caribbean ragazza’s last blog post..The Tiber Runneth Over

Oh now that’s an excellent tip! I would need it!
Cherrye at My Bella Vita on 15 Dec 2008 at 11:32 am #

Cute. We make one almost every year (in Texas).

Tip: Don’t think just b/c it looks good it will taste good. Uck!

Cherrye at My Bella Vita’s last blog post..Blog My Blog: Christmas Edition

See! I knew you had ginger!
joanne at frutto della passione on 15 Dec 2008 at 12:16 pm #

I made a gingerbread house once, from a kit so all I had to do was put it together and decorate it. I had a blast and it was quite pretty. My mom used it as the centerpiece for a Christmas dinner party with friends. Nobody ate it. Nobody. Nobody even picked the candies off, or tried to eat any of the decorations. Not a bite. I’ve never made on since.

joanne at frutto della passione’s last blog post..Posting at Christmas

Oh that would be sad. If it makes you feel better, I wouldn’t have been so shy
Ivy on 15 Dec 2008 at 2:00 pm #

I have never made a gingerbread before but I had fun playing this morning with the link you added. Would you mind if I add it on BloggerAid?

Ivy’s last blog post..Chocolate and Pistachio Brownies

Please do! And watch for my BloggerAid post this week
My Melange on 15 Dec 2008 at 2:05 pm #

Aw, nice house M. I have never done one, but a few years back C’s SIL, neice and nephew did one. Lets just say it didn’t look half as purty as yours And there was sooooo much sugar. Sugar everywhere. My teeth hurt just looking at it!

My Melange’s last blog post..Where else you can find me

Hah, I can only imagine the amount of sugar involved. I love sugar, but it might even be too much for me
Kristin on 15 Dec 2008 at 3:18 pm #

I get one of those box sets each year for the kids to decorate. The first year, it ended up looking like a crack house … really. But, each year gets better and better – and it’s an activity they can do together without too much fighting This year, Meg’s after-kindergarten school did one too and it was wonderful! They used those rectangular sugar cookies with small candy canes on the sides for sleds and upside down sugar cones for trees! Lots of fun candy with cake icing to decorate the entire house too! You need to get some supplies there in Italy – I know you’d love to do it!!

We *so* should’ve had a gingerbread house decorating party in chambers….
saretta on 15 Dec 2008 at 5:21 pm #

My mom brought the supplies over from the States one Christmas and each of my sons got to make his own. It was a wonderful project, but I never have time for that kind of stuff.

saretta’s last blog post..A Little Bit of Christmas

That *is* sad, but how great that your kids got to do it with their grandmother; I’m sure it was a fabulous memory for them
shiborigirl on 15 Dec 2008 at 5:30 pm #

This is funny – I’m going to a friend’s house on Friday to make gingerbread houses for the first time in my life. I’m REALLY looking forward to it, as I’ve always wanted to do one. I’ve got my bag of candies all ready to go…

Have a wonderful Christmas, if I don’t stop by before then.

Kate

shiborigirl’s last blog post..making gifts

Sounds like a great time! Enjoy, and enjoy your holidays as well
Marc on 15 Dec 2008 at 6:31 pm #

Only tried once with the kids and it came out looking like a gingerbread shanty. But we’re definitely going to do the virtual one – thanks for the link.

Marc’s last blog post..Hubble Telescope Advent Calendar

Hee hee…I think I’d like a gingerbread shanty!
collette on 16 Dec 2008 at 3:58 am #

i remember this and i thoroughtly enjoyed it. thanks for posting it again.
one day i will get around to making a gingerbread house – all decked out. i’ve never done one either but have thought about it many times.
x

Again, such a shame we don’t live closer! I’d love to do a gingerbread house with you!
Jane at Kidica on 16 Dec 2008 at 11:54 am #

Its a great idea, Kids will enjoy this activity.

Jane

Thanks for stopping by Jane!
jen of a2eatwrite on 17 Dec 2008 at 4:29 am #

Okay, so I may have to try this, because every time I’ve tried to do a *real* one, I’ve ended up with a lot of pieces and tears. I’m just not a crafty type.

jen of a2eatwrite’s last blog post..Sad

I consider myself reasonably crafty, but gingerbread houses are intimidating….

Anyway, I can almost guarantee no tears in decorating this one. I say almost because I guess you never know what can happen
Hand Me Downs on 21 Jan 2009 at 9:03 am #

Hi,

This is totally fun. Even i enjoyed it. I am gonna make my little one decorate a house today. She’s gonna love it.

Thanks for sharing.

Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for stopping by
Rhonda on 24 Oct 2009 at 10:11 pm #

My daughter enjoyed this very much. She absolutely loved it! Thank you!

Glad to hear it Rhonda! Thanks for coming by