Let me preface this by saying, Christmas is my absolute favorite time of the year. I try to make it really special in our home. We have the same traditions each year. For years I have been buying prefab gingerbread houses for the kids to decorate. Last year was no different, except we were vacationing with my BIL and SIL and so I bought my niece one too. So we had 3. Mind you my kids were 23 and 15 at the time and my niece was 10. I gathered the house pieces, the bags full of candy and the royal icing. I was so excited. I called the kids to the table and grabbed my camera to capture this fun memory. Well about 10 minutes into it the kids were getting frustrated because either their roofs were sliding off or their walls continually collapsed. My son (23, mind you) turns to me and says(in front of everyone), "Mom, I love you but I hate these things. I know you are trying to live your childhood vicariously through us, but I don't like making these. They're frustrating and no fun." Then my daughter chimed in, "yeah" and my niece seconded it. Well, my first reaction was a bit of shock and then I had to laugh. Here I thought "WE" were creating fun memories through this yearly tradition of ours and apparently I was the only one who enjoyed it. lol So I took over my daughters house because she walked away and off I went creating. My son, being competitive, kept working on his and my BIL decided to take over my nieces, not to be outdone she decided to help her dad, so there we sat each trying to make the prettiest one. We did have fun after all. The houses graced the bar and we enjoyed them the rest of the week. So this year I will not be buying any gingerbread kits, but I am really tempted to buy some and hot glue them together.
If you like mixed-media art than you will love this new book just out by one of my favorite blogger friends, Susan Tuttle, of Ilka's Attic. She is so inspirational and has a really lovely blog. She is giving a copy of her new book to one lucky person. So hop on over to her blog to enter for a chance to win your very own copy. For your chance to win her giveaway click here. I really want to win this one so hopefully mentioning it here will send me good karma. lol ;D Good Luck! (to me...okay... and you!)
Thank you so much!!!
ReplyDeletexoxo
That is so funny. I can totally relate to that. I use to do gingerbread houses when my kids were little. I quit a few years ago because it was no fun doing it by myself. Well, last year my daughter and SIL came with 2 ginger bread house kits, and asked me to help her make them. One for her house and one for mine. Yes, all those years did mean something to her.
ReplyDeleteSo, I hope your children will remember the fun times too with the ginger bread house, not just the frustration and time consuming.
Tammy, your story about the gingerbread houses is funny, kind of bittersweet too!!! i'm glad everyone had fun in the end making their gingerbread houses:)
ReplyDeleteHere's karma coming right at you! Good luck! I loved the gingerbread story. Sounds like there is a lot of love in your house. They didn't want to tell you they didn't like doing them. How sweet. Twyla
ReplyDeleteHey girl, My kids get frustrated over the houses too so I think it's definitely a better idea to decorate ginger bread men instead. I must check out the book-thanks!
ReplyDeleteSandy xox
this may make if fun and a twist to GBH building. At least it excites my children and there friends. We build the GB houses. (hint use Peanut butter to help build the house and cover with royal icing. Or better yet find a local bakery that builds them and sells undocorated. The fun begins when you decorate the house not buil. Our twist is the smashing of the GingerBread Houses on New Years Eve and the kids get to eat the ginger bread if they want. Another bonus of buying from a local bakery it is fresh GB rather then stale baked who knows when and boxed up.
ReplyDeleteHi Tammy
ReplyDeleteI wished we lived closer because I would buy two gingerbread house kits and we could make them together. I have never done one but I know I would just love it. Thanks for sharing your story.
Lindsay
i've never done these and dont think I could..my patience is to low and i would end up smashing it!
ReplyDeleteall i can muster is the patience to make a 1 piece gingerbread man!