It's time to at least start thinking about it, if you haven't already set your game-plan in motion.
I myself build fantastic structures full of creative details that make people weep with their beauty... in my head.
If you're a gingerbread house builder, I salute you.
You see, I've never actually made a gingerbread house.
I've dreamt of them, planned out on graph paper floor plans and elevations, studied Martha Stewart's window techniques, made shopping lists months in advance for the most perfect candies to adorn my creation... all for naught.
It always turns out that I never seem to have enough time, or I'm afraid the dog will eat it, or I go away for the holidays, so why bother with that much effort if no one will be home to enjoy it... basically a lot of excuses.
This year I'm going to
try to make a small house.
I may purchase a kit for the basic structure, and decorate it my own way, we'll see.
From what I can figure out, much like planning a wedding, the amount of time required to design, build and decorate a decent sized gingerbread house is months in the making.
The 'gingerbread architecture' world is HUGE
(I had no idea)!
There are recipes, kits, plans, lighting techniques,
books, conversations about support, classes, special pans, contests, and I'm betting there's even a festival of some sort.
Below is a list of links that will help all of us, remember that there are tens of thousands more places online to look, and don't forget that asking family members and friends can yeild some great results as well:
- Holiday Fun! by Donovan has recipes for 'Architectural (gingerbread) Dough' and 'Architectural Icing'.
- Not Just For Kids at Knowledge House has some general information & history about gingerbread houses + recipes for Royal Icing and Gingersnaps (one of my favorite cookies).
- All Recipes has a 'Gingerbread Fever' feature worth checking out.
- The Gingerbread Patterns Home Page has everything you could want: pattern, recipes, pictures for inspirations, cartoons to make you laugh, tips & tricks, a message board...just go - you'll thank me later.
- The Gingerbread House Workshop reviews gingerbread house cookbooks andhas links to various sites for patterns, recipes and tools needed for your project, as well as a Holiday Crafts Message Board.
- A History of Gingerbread is here.
- Anther resource that traces the origins of gingerbread "ever since Medieval Crusaders returned from the Middle East" - site includes lots of gingerbread recipes too, from ancient to modern.
- The Historic Cookie by Virginia Johnson offers insights into gingerbread's evolution, links to more books and videos and information about The Annual Gingerbread House Contest and Exhibit (see, I knew there would be one).
- The Gingerbread Lady has been at it for 20 years - GingerBreadLand.com has the 3 videos she's produced as well as an award-winning book.
- Nabisco has recipes/instructions for a darling little Holiday House made out of Graham Crackers and Nilla Wafers - so much easier than baking and building your own gingerbread slabs.
- The White House has a gingerbread replica on display every year, the White House staff chefs work on it for months, and last year's house was made from 100 lbs. of gingerbread and 150 lbs. of chocolate.
- A cute 'blog posting with a recipe for Gingerbread House Poppers: "Mark thought it would be funny to make gingerbread houses you could eat whole. Like you were a monster or something." So cute, easy and festive!
- The American Food Safety Institute has photos on their site of a huge and gorgeous gingerbread lighthouse that was built inside the Ritz Carlton, Amelia Island (this link's basically just for inspiration for me).
- Here's a mouthful: Making Great Gingerbread Houses: Delicious Designs from Cabins to Castles, from Lighthouses to Tree Houses by Aaron Morgan and Paige Gilchrist. From the reviews on Amazon.com it seems like a pretty picture book of inspiration, but not really a step-by-step instructional manual - I don't care, they look like dollhouses on the front cover, and I dig the inside pictures I saw with the 'Look Inside' feature - it's going on my Wish List.
- Totally Useless Knowledge is a 'blog about the sci-fi movie The Blob. Not sure what gingerbread houses have to do with that film, but there's a cute story about a gingerbread house that was preserved and displayed for 17 years! It's actually a great house - worth a look just for the picture.
- Someone who builds house for the video game The Sims built a ton of Christmas & Holiday themed properties, including a gingerbread house with red and white swirled peppemint floor tiles (another link just for fun).
- Ginger Lane Kitchens has pages full of gingerbread houses - no instructions, but LOTS of inspiration!
- More inspiration - wow!
- Crafts for Kids has a non-edible gingerbread house project that uses foam, and will last much longer! Full plans and directions are provided.
- Martha Stewart Living has a Sugar Cube House project that may be easier than all of the gingerbread houses, and it's just as festive!
- For all of us heading the 'kit' route... Sugar Craft has lots of options, from pre-baked individual wall panels to complete kits. Creative Cakes has a complete package, and if you're in Maryland, they have classes! DVO Enterprises has a kit that's currently on sale for $16.95. Stash Tea offers a charming kit that just requires confectioner's sugar, and Awesome Care Packages' comes with everything you need, even candy!
