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.
