Gingerbread Joy - Sugaring Up the Grandkids

Meet gingerbread joy. Also now known as sugar joy. I mean sugar high.

Nana likes to have traditions with her grands. A few years back, I started decorating gingerbread houses each Christmas with the grands.

Gingerbread Tips:

~ Hot glue houses together. Who eats them anyway? And they won't fall down or make you wait for hours and hours until they set.

~ Cover a piece of cardboard with foil. Tape it on. Glue each house on an individual board. Much, much easier.

~ This year I got smart. Divide candies into bowls. One bowl per kid. Saves fights, hassles, and who gets to eat what. I mean who gets what to add to their house.

~ Give each a damp wash cloth before you begin. Perfect for wiping off sticky fingers and faces.

~ Ask an adult to help if you have under two's. This was Donavyn's first gingerbread decorating. And, oh, boy, he found the icing and candy!

~ Let gingerbread houses dry before sending home. I put them in the oven so the kitties would not help themselves.

~ And of course, it goes without saying, take lots of pictures. Lots.

We are proud of our houses. And under the influence of sugar samples.

Donavyn and his house. Mostly, he wanted to wipe off the icing and eat it.

Hayden and his house. He kept raising his hand for help or more icing. Can you tell he is in kindergarten? Guess what they are working on.

Khloe pretty much did her house all by herself. Other than icing. The changes in the kids from year to year are amazing.

Nothing like sugaring up the kiddos. And then sending them home with mommy and daddy.

I bet the parents love it as much as the grands do. wink wink