Making gingerbread houses is a well loved tradition in many homes. Originating in Germany in the 16th century, Gingerbread Houses eventually made their way into being a Christmas activity.

The original houses were adorned with foil and gold leaf – and probably much more ornate than what we do.

Since our family was looking for Christmas activities for children, we tweaked and streamlined until gingerbread decorating was as fun and stress free as possible.

Graham Cracker Structure

It’s a common practice to use graham crackers for your gingerbread house structure. Did you know the better tasting Honeymaid brand is more brittle, making it harder to build with?

Save those expensive crackers for eating and buy a few boxes of the cheapest brand, we had best luck with the Kroger Store brand. It was a little more forgiving.

When making the roof, attach the two pieces together and let harden off of the house first. Once it’s good and firm place it on top with more frosting to hold it in place

When Preschoolers are involved you may want to build a simple structure ahead of time so they can just glue on candy. It makes the gingerbread house tradition much easier.

This year my daughter built her own, with just a little help from me, she was ecstatic.

I let my kids use as much autonomy as possible to increase creativity and problem solving skills.

The Secret to Acquiring All that Candy

There is so much sugar in our society, too much really. I started using candy from trick-or-treating in gingerbread house making to reduce the amount we are buying and eating. Read here to see how I make it acceptable for our children.

Decorate with candy on hand.

Tricks for Cutting Edges

This little trick will make it easier to define the edges of your crackers. Beware, it does not cut straight through a cracker, a serated knife will help with that.

If you just want a smooth edge, or an angle, use scissors to trim Graham crackers for your gingerbread houses.

Using scissors to trim, cuts down on unwanted cracks and breaks.

Building base

I used to stress (a bit ) about cutting out carboard, wrapping it in tinfoil… This year I just said, “hey everyone if you want a tinfoil base come make it.” Then I pulled out paper plates for everyone else. So much easier and one less thing for me to do, I love it.

When you want something quick and easy, use a paper plate, turned upside down and a flat roof.

My son made gingerbread kids having a snowball fight, while being yelled at by the preacher. He is very committed to his chapel theme.

The Best Glue Frosting

My favorite gingerbread house frosting by far. You know it’s good frosting glue if it can dry quickly and hold pieces together.

There are several different recipes out there with varying levels of egg white, cream of tartar and powdered sugar.

Less is more with this recipe, kind of like super glue, if you put too much on it takes longer to dry.

Gingerbread House Frosting

3 Egg Whites

1 lb Powdered Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar

Beat the egg whites till frothy. Fold in powered sugar, vanilla and cream of tartar.

Place in a zip lock bags and also rubberband the top closed. Then trim a very small hole off one corner . You can always cut a larger hole later if it’s too small, but start on the small end.

And you’re good to go.

What other Gingerbread House Hacks have you tried? Share below.

What do you wish there was a hack for?

Take care and happy building.

The post Gingerbread House Hacks appeared first on This Homemade Home.

There is something magical about Candy. If a game is a bit boring, add candy and voila! It’s now a family favorite.

Which is exactly what happened to us.

When we decided play Candyland with real candy it quickly became a family tradition. You may have already read about our Candland tradition, along with our other favorite Christmas pass times.

Once I introduced this idea for Candyland, our children wanted to play with real candy all the time.

We found we needed some house rules to turn Candyland into the coolest cooperative game ever known to man.

These simple rules made the game play more smoothly, encouraging everyone along the path to King Candy.

Items Needed To Get Started

affiliate links in this article are meant to create quick, easy purchases for you. I will make a small percentage on items sold at no additional cost to you.

Candyland game – we have the 2002 edition, other versions may use different candy stops

Gingerbread people – for the gingerbread tree.

Peppermint (or candy canes) – for Mr Mint

Gum drops (or fruit snacks) – for Gum Drop pass

Licorice – for Lord Licorice

PB cookies or candy – for Gramma Nutts

Lolly pops – for the Lolly Pop Forest

Frosted animal crackers or mints – for Princess Frostine

Chocolate for Gloppy in the chocolate swamp

M&M’s for King Candy’s finish line.

Why Candyland House Rules

This year when we played I realized I needed to share our ground rules. If you try out the Candyland tradition I want you to experience the game in its full glory. These additional rules keep things sane and fun.

How to Create Candyland Anticipation

Only do it once a year – for two reasons, scarcity- it keeps it special and reason two – time, who has the time to constantly get all the right candies? Am I right? Just tell your kids it’s for their own good, you love them so much you want to keep some traditions special.

No Hard Feelings or Whining

Start with the reminder that no one gets upset. Since this is for fun and to bond as a family, being upset kind of ruins it if anyone is whining. A simple reminder usually gets everyone on the same page, kids and adults.

Candy at Every Stop

One piece of candy for passing the candy image and two pieces if you land right on it. If you get sent back all the more time to gather candy.

Candyland Time Limit

Set a time limit, like 10 minutes, 15 if you’re brave. Remember, it’s still a simple game and kids start to get anxious about getting to the top where the M&M’s and stack of chocolate sticks are. A time limit helps kids stay focused.

How to Split up the Leftovers After a Game of Candyland

Setting a time limit means there’s usually still candy on the board. We split up the rest by taking turns one piece at a time (usually trying to go as fast as we can) until its all gone. This way players get to take the candies they like most and the game ends on a high note.

Pre – game set up

Gingerbread men

Since I’m pretty passionate about this whole candy authenticity thing , we usually make gingerbread men earlier (like the week before). Then save some for gingerbread houses and some for the game.

Because you need to something to collect when you pass the gingerbread tree, it’s important.

Peanut butter candy

We make peanut butter candy for the Gramma Nutt stop. You can also just purchase or make peanut butter cookies.

The rest

Any other Candyland bliss, I buy at the store or you can following the affiliate links above for easy purchases.

Have a great time playing and Merry Christmas!

The post Candyland (with real candy) House Rules appeared first on This Homemade Home.

Traditions can be the perfect glue that brings families together during the holidays. Providing anticipation in a mutually enjoyed event and peace in a well refined routine.

The best way to make traditions that fit the role of bringing loved ones together, is first to pick events that everyone enjoys (for the most part) and second the understanding that traditions can outlive their usefulness. There may come a time that you need to lay a well loved tradition to rest, but it’s ok, you can pick others that fit your new situation in life and move forward.

Today I want to share our well loved Christmas traditions in case you are looking for something else to add or try. Please don’t feel like you should do all or any of them. But I hope you will find something that inspires a family gathering.

Ours basically revolves around the advent calendar and started with the desire to not have everything be candy or a toy. I began to look for events or activities that the kids could open and be excited for.

The Christmas pajamas

We switched up the well loved tradition of pj’s on Christmas Eve and started giving them the first day of December instead. I mean kids grow fast and they need pj’s, I want them to wear Christmas themed for at least a month before it’s out of season (who am I kidding, they wear them all year anyway ).

Seeing Santa

This has required alot of flexibility through moving and kids getting older. While we have spent our time in long, insane lines, we have found it really adds to holiday angst and definitely does not increase family bonding. If we see a long Santa line we run the other way.

Thankfully we have found a beautiful old frontier Christmas near by with a quick visit to Santa, handbell choir or orchestra and serving of hot chocolate, every member of our family is happy.

I absolutely love it!

This year the park also told Christmas stories by the fire in an old frontier cabin. It was a perfect way to start off the season.

Gingerbread cookies

I spent a number of years being frustrated with my kids for playing with the cookie dough and making it tough. By reminding myself why we have traditions, I decided to give each child their own portion of dough and let them create to their hearts content. I reserved a portion for myself to make nice soft cookies. All frustration is gone and cookie making is fun for everyone.

There are a few community events we let come and go depending on our desire to leave the house. These range anywhere from art projects at the museum to hearing Handel’ s Messiah. My advice here, make sure traditions aren’t causing more stress by purposefully leave room to let some things slide.

Candy Land with real candy

While this was my brain child, can I really take credit for something that is practically begging to be done? It’s called Candyland for a reason and has been one of our absolute favorites. I track down all the candy one might pass on their way to King Candy and place it on the board, we all take turns collecting gingerbread men, PB cookies, candy canes, chocolate, gum drops, twizzlers, mints, lolly pops and M&M’s.

You can find the Candyland – with real candy – Ground Rules here.

Ride the Polar Express

This is the easiest, and newest tradition. I don’t know how long it will stay, but for now it’s a winner. When the kids open the advent calendar they each get a ticket to ride the Polar Express. Our son has seriously taken his ticket to school in his pocket and kept it with him all day, to make sure it doesn’t get lost. Add a hot chocolate bar and you are the most awesome parents around.

My husband makes the tickets and punches them once the movie begins.

Visit a Live Nativity

Many year ago, we were invited to attend a live nativity. It turned out we were the last car before a shift change and everyone slowly walked behind our car as we passed. We figured they were just changing shifts, but it felt like we were being surrounded by zombies. It was so funny we’ve kept going.

Of course with the move we couldn’t find a live one near by, but we did find a Creche exhibit that is nice and I enjoy seeing all the different art forms.

Gingerbread houses

If you’ve read my other posts, you may know we save the over abundance of our kids’ Halloween candy to make gingerbread houses. I love this for two reasons, the kids still get candy, just not at much and it saves money.

Win win.

See the lights

While driving around to see the lights we found it was easier to keep our kids focused and enjoying the lights if they had a goal. So before we start we let everyone pick which lit up item they are going to count, with the goal being to pick the item that has the most that year. It might be snow flakes, Santa Clause or candy canes. It makes it very exciting as all the kids are searching for their item.

Family nativity re-enactment

This has been one of my favorites, especially when the kids were younger. I’m a little sad that this may be one we outgrow soon, it doesn’t seem to be as tender when the older kids are acting it out. They are more silly and it’s best to just read the story by that point.

Homemade presents

Also one of my favorites because we love to make things. We each draw a family member’s name and make a gift for them. The gifts are usually very creative and the first to be opened Christmas morning. Go here for more homemade present ideas.

Illustrated Nativity Book

This one doesn’t happen every year, just when we feel like it, but the kids love to see how their art work has progressed. We write a simple story of Christ being born and let the kids illustrate each page. We then laminate pages, give it an official cover etc. and gift copies to grandparents.

I’m sure as the years pass we’ll add a few more traditions to replace the ones that need to go. But for the time being, I’m loving where we’re at.

Please share some of your well loved traditions. Or what is a tradition you’ve always wanted to try?

The post Christmas Traditions You’ll Love appeared first on This Homemade Home.

This will be short and sweet – it’s just candy. There are so many ideas on what to do with all the Halloween candy. A little candy is ok, but Halloween can so easily put us over the sugar edge.

There are several ideas out there, send it to the military, sell it to your dentist or buy it from your children yourself.

I had a different idea. Decorate gingerbread houses!

A few years back, to help our children monitor their sugar intake, I started giving them a sandwich bag. Any and all candy that could fit in that bag they could keep. They could eat it all at once or savor it one piece at a time. Either way, I didn’t have to worry about sugar over-exposure.

When we make ginger-bread houses, sometimes we buy a small amount of Christmas candy, but usually we just use the Halloween stuff. These examples are pretty un-glamorous, but it is what it is, this is the reality of our gingerbread houses .

Ok in our defense, we’ve had better ones, but I can’t find the pictures.

You’ll just have to take my word.

What do you do with your kids’ extra candy? Share below.

The post What to Do with All That Candy appeared first on This Homemade Home.

I love Halloween because of the excuse to dress up, make rediculously cute treats and eat sugar (though I admit I’m laying off the sugar a little more than I did as a kid) dressing up never affects my health . Here are my top 5 DIY for Halloween.

#1 Homemade Costumes

You may or may not be into dressing up, you may or may not like to make costumes yourself, but seeing the creativity of others never dulls. Here are some of my favorites over the years (stickers used to protect the innocent- not an actual part of the costume)

Star Wars! People will always know who you are and you may even get fan art. Princess Leia’s iconic hair stands out to even the youngest fans.

Oh the scandal! Obi Wan Kenobi and Princess Leia on a date…chaperoned by a little Yoda – so it’s all good.

A little tiger – if you know an awesome face painter, arrange for a cool addition to your costume through face paint.

A family of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with easy shells from the dollar store.

Harry Potter theme was fun (with Peter Pan and Wendy – I couldn’t get them to all agree–I really wanted one of them to be Doby… sigh) . No one actually wanted to be Harry.

The Neville costume was made from thrift store pillow cases and the ties from felt. I let them make their own ties so they are different. Hermione’ s cloak is just a big piece of felt fastened around the neck, we made their house emblems with paint on felt.

Hagrid’s costume was a heavy metal rockers wig and a rug for the beard.

Peter Pan ‘s costume was made from felt and green tights.

Wendy’s costume was a night gown from the thrift store that I took in on the sides and reconstructed the sleeves.

And last, but not least Tron. Simply wear all black and make a few strategic lines with neon tape. I loved it! Easy and fun.

#2 Cute Treats

Why else would I figure out how to make tiny edible candy pumpkins or bat and monster cupcakes than to make a hit at the Halloween party? It was totally worth it.

#3 Hallway Trick – or – Treat

Ok, this tops my list of happy memories. If you have a long hallway and little kids to entertain – you HAVE to try this .

The adults stand in the doorway and the kids come get candy. Seeing everyone’s costumes – and dressing up is an absolute blast and everyone stays warm. I love these people!

#4 “Scary” Decorations

I wasn’t into “Scary” until I had kids. They practically beg for scary which I resist and do moderately scary – which they love. My four year old was crying that she didn’t want to go home, “but why,” I encouraged, “your room is so fancy!” (alluding to Fancy Nancy whom she adores). She cried, “my room IS fancy, but not our house.”

Sigh…

“What would we need to do to make our house fancy? ”

“We need spider webs and rats!”

… Ya, that is what fancy is to a four year old.

I did spider webs last year, they stuck to EVERYTHING! Not again!

This had taken its place. A window cut out is dramatic with no added electricity and minimal cleaning up afterwords.

It’s made from a large cardboard box. The very observant will notice the two pictures are different – that’s because I’ve done this with two houses now. I love it because it’s easy, it doesn’t take additional electricity and people love it. When the holiday is over I fold it up and store it behind our storage shelf in the garage.

#5 Glow in the dark Halloween party.

To start off get a black light. Just a black light bulb in a table lamp. Then we had teams turn people into mummies. The black light made everything glow. We also played balloon volleyball with a glow stick in the balloon and topped it off with pizza.

What is your favorite Halloween DIY?

The post 5 Ways to DIY this Halloween appeared first on This Homemade Home.

I love Halloween and Fall. The crisp smell of crunchy leaves, baking apples and happy kids makes my world complete. Today I am sharing three quick and easy ideas to inspire you for the upcoming Halloween festivities. While I do enjoy the occasional, detail minded cooking, I purposely chose recipes that are quick and easy to get you out the door and off to your party.

There is a little bit of everything, a recipe that only requires kitchen staples – still very cute, one that requires no talent at all – but looks amazing ha ha and the middle ground recipe that takes hardly anytime, but very tasty. Have fun and enjoy the fall festivities.

First off the cute, but easy, no need to buy additional ingredients…

Peanut Butter Candy Pumpkins – You will likely find all of these ingredients in your cupboard, which makes this easy in all ways possible. They are cute and get you right in the mood for fall.

I loved peanut butter candy growing up, be sure to check that the party you will be bringing them to is free of peanut allergies. I labeled mine just to make sure no one took it by mistake if they did have a peanut allergy.

Find the recipe here.

Next up, when you want to bring a fun treat for your gathering, but are self proclaimed not creative (which I don’t buy)…

Monster Cupcakes – while these do require a little forethought, they are really easy to make. So if you feel like you aren’t too crafty, you can still do these and have all the kids excited when you arrive. They are fun, but not too scary and you get a pair of monster teeth for the rest of the party. Total win!

Materials/ Ingredients Needed

Plastic monster teeth easily found at the dollar store etc.
Googly Eyes also easily found at the dollar store or candy eyes if you can find them.
Cupcakes bought or baked at home
Frosting in any color, because monsters are that way

Frost the cupcakes with a simple layer on top or you can use this guideline by Mommy Like Woah frosting tips to get a variety of “hairy” monsters. Again, this is up to you – they will look awesome either way and you will easily be the coolest treat maker.

Place monster teeth on top and googly eyes.

Voila! you are ready for a party!

Last, but not least a balance between easy and tasty…

Bat Cupcakes – Quick, cute and tasty, what’s not to love? These cupcakes get kids and their parents excited, (because Oreos are awesome). It will look like you slaved away in the kitchen, but only minutes to assemble. If you make your own cupcakes, it will take a bit longer, still easily accomplished in an afternoon.

Ingredients Needed

Cupcakes
Vanilla Frosting
Oreos – regular size
Oreos – mini
Mini Marshmallows
Cinnamon and Sugar
Mini Chocolate chips

Use a large round frosting tip and fill the whole cupcake. You can swirl around or get the affect above by holding in one spot and letting the frosting pile up. I sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar to give a fall like texture. Next cut a large Oreo in half for the wings and use a small Oreo for the head. Then cut a small marshmallow in half and stick to the small Oreo. Finish off the look with Mini Chocolate Chips adhered with frosting.

Have a wonderful Fall season, be safe and enjoy all that fall baking and Halloween fun. Stay tuned for other Halloween fun coming your way.

The post Quick and Easy Halloween Treats appeared first on This Homemade Home.

Kitchen Projects

• Making a Kid-friendly Kitchen
• $20 counter
• $5 pull out trash can
• Pull-down Kitchen Tablet Holder
• How to Transform a Desk into A Kitchen Island

Basement Projects

• The Reading Nook
• DIY Removable Chalk Wall
• 5 Closets You Can Do Yourself

Furniture Projects

• Restoring a Piece of Family History
• The Stenciled Storage Chest
• $15 Spare Parts Bench

Energy Efficient Projects

• 5 Ways to Stay Warm and Save Money for Less than $10

Outdoor Projects

• Installing a Pavers Edge

Personal Development

• How to Slow the Spending Craze
• The Art of Saying Yes
• Overcoming Obstacles

Recipes

• Roasted Brussel Sprouts
• Apple – Cheddar Muffins

Desserts

• Perfect Caramel Every Time
• Lemon Pudding Cupcakes
• Chocolate Topped Oreos
• Brick Street Chocolate Cake

Christmas

• 10 Christmas Presents You Can DIY
• Gingerbread House Hacks
• Candyland with Real Candy – Ground Rules
• Christmas Traditions You’ll Love

Halloween

• Quick and Easy Halloween Treats
• 5 Ways to DIY this Halloween

Birthdays

• For the Chocolate Lover in Your Life

The post Projects appeared first on This Homemade Home.