Sweeten the Holidays with a Gingerbread House Party
Reading Time: 7 minutes Holiday Memories, One Gingerbread House at a Time.
The holidays can be a lot of extra work and expenses.
It seems we are rushing around and there is not enough time to get everything done.
Take a breath and remember, this is one of the best times of the year for your child.
Imagine your child’s eyes lighting up with holiday magic as they build a gingerbread house with their friends!
You can plan a gingerbread house party with very little time, effort, or expense that will create lasting memories, capturing special moments and emotions that your child will cherish for years to come.
And the best part is that this fun event can be perfectly tailored to your child’s unique interests, abilities/age, and personality.
Planning the Perfect Party: Themes and Invitations
The first step in planning your gingerbread party is deciding on invitations.
It is a lot of fun to have a theme.
Sit down with your child and come up with some ideas for fun holiday or winter themes, or go to the dollar store and see if there are some cheap winter themed party invites that you can center your gingerbread party around.
Theme Ideas
It is a lot of fun if you also bring the theme into your decor at home.
Here are some ideas
* Winter Wonderland: Create a magical atmosphere with snowflakes, pinecones, and twinkling lights.
* Candyland: Bring the beloved board game to life with bright colors, candy-inspired decorations, and sweet treats.
* Enchanted Forest: Transport guests to a whimsical forest with greenery, woodland creatures, and sparkling fairy lights.
Digital Invites vs. Paper Invites
This is entirely up to you and your child.
I actually just attended a virtual bridal shower, so, it is possible to have your gingerbread party online.
In this case, I would send digital invitations, for certain.
Otherwise, it is simply preference.
How techie are you and your child?
What is the likelihood that people will open their emails?
Which one will get a higher ASAP response?
These questions are all dependent on your audience.
Preparing for the Big Day
The Big Decision
What will the party look like?
Will all of the kids decorate their own gingerbread house or will they create one big house and decorate that one together?
You need to decide this before you do anything else.
Pros of having each child make their own gingerbread house:
- Each child can create in their own way-the house truly reflects them.
- Children may be more engaged because they are working on their own house.
- There can be a “Gingerbread Open House” tour for friends and family when they are all done where the kids can show off their creations.
- If you want, you can have awards-if you do this-I would have goofy awards that do not mean anything that would set one child against another; this ruins the holiday spirit.
- At the end of the party, each guest can take home their own gingerbread house.
Cons of having each child make their own gingerbread house:
- It will cost more.
Go for the classic graham cracker gingerbread houses if you have each child make their own-it cuts down on expenses.
- You will need to supply the houses and many more candies and icing.
- It is possible children may lose interest as it will take longer.
Pros of having the children create one gingerbread house:
- Expense: it should cost less as there is only one house and you only need decorations and icing for this one house.
*This is dependent upon the type of kit and how many graham crackers you need to buy if you decide to use those for individual houses.
- Timing: it should take less time, as all of the children are working on the same house.
- The children are all gathered around one house so it feels more interactive and social, like a party.
Cons of having the children create one gingerbread house:
- While I love collaboration, it can be hard for some, there may be a child whose voice does not get heard.
- Since this is more of a group strategy and there may be more talking before the ‘action,’ some children may grow bored and lose interest.
- At the end of the party, each guest cannot take home their gingerbread house.
Gingerbread Ornaments:
I love the idea of having gingerbread “man” ornaments ready to decorate on standby.
These can be one of two different types:
• Baked ornaments that use icing and candies to decorate-if you “punch” a hole at the top before baking, they can be hung on trees.
- A station with cut out on card stock ornaments and glitter, crayons, markers, paint, etc.
This is a great solution to:
- Children who may be listless or growing bored, they can decorate an ornament.
- Everyone gets to take something home.
- What if-and I am not a fan of this at all-but what if your 11 year old invites 5 friends and two of those bring their siblings because their parents thought it was an open invite. This is a whole other topic-but some parents seem to think this is okay.
Well, you would have this covered, the littles could decorate gingerbread ornaments and stay out of the “big kids” way.
Gingerbread Making Essentials
You don’t want a house full of kids with no icing, right?
So, before these little creators unleash their imaginations, gather these must-haves:
*I would go for the store bought premade kits or graham crackers for ease.
* Gingerbread Mix: Choose a pre-made mix or create your own recipe using flour, sugar, butter, eggs, and spices. Consider opting for a gluten-free option for children with dietary restrictions.
* Graham Crackers or Pretzels: Go to Pinterest and check out DIY gingerbread houses, to see what kind of “foundation” you want to use for individual houses, if you go this route and do not want to buy a bunch of $30 gingerbread house kits.
* Royal Icing: This sweet and sticky icing is used to hold the gingerbread house together.
You can either buy royal icing or make your own using powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water.
* Food Coloring: I know, this sounds so basic, but some of the royal icing is just white.
Have food coloring on hand so you can make different colors.
If you are hesitant to use standard food coloring, look at natural food options, ie. beet juice for red, but do this in advance so you know the outcome.
*Bags: You need bags or some way to use the royal icing.
* Decorations: Stock up on an assortment of candies, sprinkles, and edible decorations to let your child’s creativity shine.
Take your child out shopping with you.
Look at PInterest.
You will want bigger candies, say for fencing and roofing and little candies for tiles or flowers.
Do you want to add extra fun to your Gingerbread House party?
Kids love “Would You Rather?”
Have them play a couple of rounds!
Setting the Scene:
People love themes.
You may have created one with your invitations.
If you are slammed with all of the holiday stuff going on in your life, have your child decorate, or just add holiday music.
Usually what kids notice most is other kids.
Even adults, while they may notice the surroundings, they remember the conversations.
Here are some ideas if you want to do a little “more.”
* Twinkling Lights: String lights, fairy lights, or LED candles can add a warm glow to the room, creating a cozy and inviting ambiance.
* Holiday Music: Play classic holiday tunes or modern Christmas carols to set the mood. You can also create a playlist with kid-friendly songs to keep the energy level high.
* Winter Wonderland Backdrop: Create a focal point by setting up a large piece of cardboard or fabric with a winter scene printed on it.
This can serve as a backdrop for photos and inspire creative storytelling.
*When I had a non profit, I did a Festival of Trees each year.
I wanted a selfie station that had a wonderful winter or holiday theme.
There are a ton of backdrops you can get online, if you are not crafty that beautifully set the stage and where the kids can do selfies!
* Festive Tableware: Use red and green tablecloths, plates, cups, and napkins to match the holiday theme.
Make it all plastic throwaway (I know major environment cringe, but super easy) and you can have the whole mess contained and easy to clean up)!
*Scent: I love the idea of making your party a 5 sense kind of experience.
The problem with fun gingerbread candles is that many people experience headaches and allergies due to the heavy artificial scents.
If you want to do smells, I would suggest apple cider with holiday spices on the stove so the aroma carries or live wreaths or boughs.
Time to Share
Displaying and sharing creations is an essential part of the gingerbread making experience, allowing everyone involved to bask in the joy and pride of their accomplishment.
Showcase Your Masterpiece: I love the idea of the children being able to show off what they accomplished, whether they created one big gingerbread house together or individual houses.
Share the Love: Set up a hot cocoa station for the time the party is about to end.
When family members come to retrieve their little loves, set up a tour of the creations.
Photograph Your Creations: Capture the moment by taking photos of each gingerbread house, both individually and as a group. These pictures will serve as a treasured keepsake for years to come, allowing you to relive the magic of the holiday season.
As parents, we’re always looking for special ways to connect with our kids.
We want to give them experiences that really make them feel special.
Giving gifts is great, but memories – now those last forever!
And what holiday experience could be better than a fun gingerbread house making party?
The memories will last long after the holiday season is over!