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There is an old saying, "A family that plays together, stays together." Here is a fun activity for the entire family, which has been a long-loved Christmas tradition.

Would you like to make a gingerbread house?

There are a few options. Either start from scratch, which may take more than a day to complete, or buy a Gingerbread House Kit which includes all of the items you’ll need to build this holiday favorite. Whatever the choice, your kids will have a lot of fun making it. This is a perfect way for them to use their imagination and creativity.

If baking is not your thing, simply go out and buy the kit so that your kids can spend more time decorating it. Putting the house together is pretty simple. Just follow the instructions given in the kit. You will need edible glue to hold the pieces together. Make the glue using this recipe:

1 egg white
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1-2 cups confectioners sugar

Make sure the glue is thick – like glue should be. Put it into a piping gun, and you are set to go.

Once the house is built, you get to start on the fun part. Let the kids pick out what types of candies they want to use to decorate the house, for example, gum drops, M&M’s, candy canes, or cookies.

Here are some more ideas:

Put some trees in front of the house. How about using pretzel sticks with green candy leaves attached?

Add food coloring into part of the glue to add color to your gingerbread house. Use the colored glue to outline the windows, roof, and other parts of the house.

Make gingerbread cookies as people and set them in front or inside of the house. Decorate the gingerbread cookies to give them a more personal touch.

Perhaps the kids would also want to add a chimney. Use licorice squares. Add a gingerbread Santa cookie on the roof. Want to add your family pet? Buy animal crackers and place them outside the house. Take a graham cracker and pipe on the family name, or the names of the kids who decorated it. That’s a great personal touch.

There are so many ways with which kids can decorate a gingerbread house because their imagination is never-ending. The main thing is to provide the tools and then have fun doing it.

Whether it is a small, medium or a large gingerbread house, the possibilities are endless. Not only will they have fun, but it will be a learning experience as well. Let your family's imagination run wild! Then display it as a centerpiece on your table for all to see! Be sure to take lots of pictures!

Submitted by Christmas Fun

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