Gingerbread Extravaganza!

Embracing joy this season

Ready, set, go! Gingerbread house party set-up

The sweet smell of ginger and molasses. The crunch of gingerbread crumbs under my feet. Patches of dried royal icing on my countertops. It must be Christmas!

I appreciate a simple holiday. I’ve never been a fan of the chore of decorating, especially the part where you have to undo it all.

But homemade gingerbread houses? I will gladly pour hours into the prep and cleanup for the joy it brings me this time of year.

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The tradition began before I was born. In 1979, to be exact (my mom remembers these things).

This is the year she took a class on making gingerbread houses from scratch. She and my grandma then made and decorated dozens of houses for gifts that year. We use the same typewriter-written recipe to this day.

As far back as I can remember, these gingerbread houses have been a sign of the holidays. In fact, decorating gingerbread houses was often my December birthday party activity of choice.

Many of my childhood friends fondly remember coming over to join in on the fun, as do college roommates who would visit during the holiday break. Clearly, I haven’t outgrown the tradition.

A well-used copy of the original, typewriter-written, gingerbread recipe. Notice the circular imprint of a sticky molasses jar that has been there for years.

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When my now-teenage daughter was a toddler, I was excited to do gingerbread houses with her for the first time. It quickly became a group activity as friends started to join — and look forward to — gingerbread house time at our house.

I have pictures of her annual gingerbread house creations. Each one captures a sense of her personality at the time:

This was the “let’s see how much candy I can get on here so I can have it to eat later” year.

The year of minimalism and landscape design (notice the fire pit on the lower right)

Completed village post-gingerbread party

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Shopping for Gingerbread Extravaganza is an event: I fill my cart with boxes upon boxes of brown and powdered sugar, all the molasses I can find, and oh so much candy.

I always brace myself to run into a patient or someone who knows me professionally. The surprised look on their face as they peer into my cart is priceless. Hazard of the job, I suppose¹.

After years of making dozens of batches of dough, I have developed a system.

Gingerbread Extravaganza seems to grow every year. Not that I’m complaining. It brings me joy to share this with friends old and new, my youngest’s class, and my teenager’s friends.

This year, I made a whopping 34 houses² throughout the month, which included enough for two decorating parties at my house, one in my daughter’s classroom, and a few extra for special deliveries.

Decorating was a full-contact sport for Emily last year

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On my radio show on KSVY earlier this week, my husband, Lyle, joined me to talk about our gingerbread tradition. His favorite part of this tradition has nothing to do with baking or decorating — it is feasting on the crispy, gingerbread edges that are leftover at the end of the day.

I also have to give him credit for learning to expect and accept the mess that Gingerbread Extravaganza brings into our home. We will be finding remnants for weeks to come. To be honest, those remnants make me smile. And he knows how much joy it brings me. I’m a lucky gal.

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I wish you all a wonderful holiday. May you embrace what brings you joy this season and let go of what doesn’t.

Thanks for being here,

~Allison

1. Thanks to Lyle and Sara for doing the shopping this year. You saved me from some awkward encounters!

2. Thanks for your help, Mom!