Gingerbread junkie

There are few things that make your apartment smell as delicious as baking gingerbread. An annual gingerbread house party is a serious tradition in my family, and we usually make giant houses using the custom cookie cutters designed by my stepfather.



This year, due to time restraints, we scaled it back and used the Martha Stewart gingerbread house pattern. The houses are teeny tiny and cute. I used her dough recipe too, and I highly recommend it. Very spicy and it rolls out great. Just make sure you chill it well or you'll end up with a big sticky mess.



We do not glue our houses together with royal frosting, because we are hardcore and we use caramelized sugar. That's right - boiling hot syrupy sugar, which will give you burns like you have never experienced. It is probably one of the strongest substances known to man. I think they would use it to build real houses except it is too dangerous. I wish I could find the picture of me from last year, holding our house upside down by one wall to demonstrate the sturdiness. Amazing. I won't even tell you how to do it, because I don't want to be responsible for your injuries.

The houses all set up, with an excited child as a blur

The decorating in progress

Of course, this means I knocked out my two biggest holiday traditions in one weekend. Do any of you lovely readers have fun traditions you participate in every year?