THE JOY OF A GINGERBREAD HOUSE
Of the many seasonal traditions that sweep our nation, few are as creative, delicious, and satisfying as building your very own gingerbread house. Whether you’re looking to create a simple table decoration or bake a tasty treat to nibble on, everyone can enjoy this holiday activity! THE ORIGINS OF GINGERBREAD Ginger was first cultivated in ancient China, then traded into medieval Europe. There, Europeans incorporated it into culinary traditions and used it to bake cookies into elaborate shapes and works of art, including figures of animals and people. The gingerbread house first appeared in the early 19th century in Germany. Although historians don’t know an exact date, it’s speculated that it gained popularity around the same time that “Hansel and Gretel,” the popular fairy tale recorded by the Brothers Grimm, was published. THE LARGEST GINGERBREAD HOUSE In 2013, the world record for the largest gingerbread house in the world was broken. The house, topping out
at 21 feet and covering 2,520 square feet, was built by Traditions Golf Club in Bryan, Texas, to raise money for a local Level II trauma center. To construct the house, builders created a recipe that required 1,800 pounds of butter, 2,925 pounds of brown sugar, 7,200 eggs, 7,200 pounds of flour, 1,080 ounces of ground ginger, and a few additional ingredients. BUILD YOUR OWN! While you don’t have to challenge yourself to beat the Guinness World Record, you can still have fun creating your very own gingerbread village. Starting your gingerbread house from scratch can be a fun activity for the whole family to enjoy. Give the kids a chance to mix the ingredients, roll out the dough, and set out plenty of candies and frostings to use, and remember to have fun! If you’re looking for unique gingerbread house ideas, take a look at 20 gingerbread house ideas at TasteofHome. com/collection/gingerbread-houses.
TRADITIONS DON’T HAVE TO BE TRADITIONAL MAKE THEM FUN AND UNIQUE FOR YOUR FAMILY
We love the holidays because they’re about spending time with family and indulging in traditions that make the season meaningful. Here are some great ideas for making the holidays unique through unusual traditions the whole family will look forward to.
could decorate their own “tree” by picking a random object in the house to deck out. Anything from a potted plant in the living room to a backyard bird feeder is fair game! Or, after all the presents have been opened, any clothes received must
be worn during Christmas dinner. It doesn’t matter if someone got five sweaters or three hats — they’ve got to don them all. Your family photos will be hilarious!
CHRISTMAS TREE CAMPOUT
YEAR IN REVIEW
On the night you decorate your Christmas tree, have the entire family (parents included) “camp out” next to the tree. Snuggle into sleeping bags and fall asleep under the gentle glow of the lights with a crackling fire in the background and empty mugs of hot chocolate on the coffee table. This once- a-year family slumber party will be a delight for the kids, who will love sleeping side by side with their parents and siblings after an evening full of holiday-themed festivities.
The end of the year is a great time to look back on how your family has grown and reminisce about noteworthy events. Sit your family down in front of your computer or camera, hit record, and have each person talk about what they loved most about the last year or what their favorite memory is. Once you start this tradition, you can supplement it each year by also watching the previous year’s recording and reminiscing all over again.
SILLY RITUAL
Pick a zany activity that every member of the family must take part in. It could be using shaving cream to see who can give themselves the best Santa beard (without mirrors, of course). Or each person
No matter your traditions, celebrate them with love and
appreciation during this wonderful time of year.
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