Friday, October 19, 2012

Gingerbread Favors and Goody Bags

Gingerbread Man Foamie Necklace Kit Pkg/4
Gingerbread House Party Favor Ideas

If you are planning ahead for a big gingerbread house party, you may have in mind to create a set of favor bags.  The ages of your participants will determine what types of favors you might use.  Candy will have been consumed in quantity, so you may want to opt for fun products like the gingerbread necklace shown above.  Keep things age appropriate.  Don't give beads to small children.  However, if you have preschoolers through teens, this foam gingerbread necklace is a perfect example of a great goody bag filler.  It's great even if your focus isn't strictly on gingerbread houses.

Gingerbread Goody Bags for Christmas Parties
You'll love some of the fun goody bags and boxes available for gingerbread themed Christmas parties as well.  The set shown here is adorable and unique, crafted of canvas and created with an appealing flair that children and adults with both love.

Gingerbread House Treat Box

Of course, if you want to send gingerbread cookies or excess gingerbread house candy decorations home with your guests, these treat boxes are also fun.  These work well as gift boxes for food gifts if you are focused on making gifts to give this year as well.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Are You Counting Down Until Gingerbread House Making Day?

My kiddos are beginning to think about the holidays, and of course, that means gingerbread house decorations and gingerbread house techniques are becoming part of the weekly conversation.  Gingerbread house making day isn't set in stone yet, but with 2 kids in college, we are looking at the latter part of December. 

I depend on my older daughters to help with the baking, and in fact, they've watched so much through the years that they can do the baking and cutting on their own.  Imagine starting out as a Mom with all of the expertise and experience that it took me nearly 20 years to amass.  My daughters will most certainly have fun with their own house decorating as mothers some day.

Parents, even if your kiddos are young, create a tradition that instills understanding and experience while building skills.  My learning began as a youngster making cookies with my Mom.  Gingerbread wasn't an annual tradition, but it was a treasured one.  With my kids, I've improved over time to the point where they will have lots of knowledge about what works and what doesn't when they create their own family traditions.  Whatever your holiday holds, traditions based on favorite baking and decorating themes are cementitious in that they hold things together.

You can check out my compilation of recipes, techniques and gingerbread traditions here.