What do you do with a gingerbread house that you've made? Are they for display only or do you eat them? I've never made one and I'm curious. Thanks

I made this candy house many years ago. I did intend to keep it (the candy was stuck into styrofoam) and put it on a closet shelf.

Alas in the summer heat the candy melted and onto my fur coat! Decided then not to try to keep any in future but have not made anymore either.

Oh, in those days I always put candy on my tree. also cookies. the house was for display only.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: lady of shallot,

Years ago I tried to make a gingerbread house with the kids from scratch. The gingerbread baked unevenly and I had a mess. I know several other bakers who have had the same experience, I think that the baking soda in the recipe has to be carefully controlled--I don't have the time to mess with it any more. The local botanical garden has a contest with lots of different catagories. Architects and lots of professionals enter--the winner is usually a dentist who makes the most amazing creations from scratch. I can't imagine keeping one since I think that they would attract bugs.

I thought about letting my boys (3yrs & 4yrs) make them out of graham crackers. I saw the how to on Pinterest. I've always seen them growing up (never made them) and I was just curious as to why people made them (eating? decor?)

I have seen kids use graham crackers and that looks like a fun project. I know that some people like to make gingerbread houses as a family project. My DH has always watched too much football and hates details so that would have never worked for us. After my original disaster, I went out and bought lots of candies and we made a candy house--a lot easier and the kids participated. There are some already baked kits out there which might work with kids too. You just assemble the already baked pieces. I've seen them at cooking stores as well as places like T J Maxx.

When my kids were small I made several houses. Even made a gingerbread carousel one year complete with horses and DH put it on a turn-table. But somewhere I read that the tradition is to make it for Christmas and eat it on New Years Day.

I made a large one several years ago for a special event. DH made a cardboard house & I hot glued the graham crackers & candy onto it. I trimmed it with piped frosting. And then pitched it when the event was over.

Graham crackers work well. We made these several years while my DS was young.

I've made a couple of "real" gingerbread houses with my children when they lived at home - and my daughter made one on her own when she was teaching school. We tried to preserve them - wrapped in a plastic bag - but the mice finally got to them - but my daughter's house did last for several years. We use them for holiday decor - since we are very big on baking and decorating all kinds of gingerbread - very traditional for Christmas. It's also a German tradition - decorated gingerbread cookies are sold all over Europe during the Christmas season. I used to make gingerbread people to decorate the Christmas tree. We still decorate big gingerbread cookies, place them in cellophane bags, tie with beautiful ribbons, and gift them to friends and family. I still make gingerbread cookies every Christmas - one of my favorite cookies.

I haven't made a gingerbread house for a while, but I did make them with my kids when they were young. I would bake the parts and do the assembly, and the kids would do the decorating and put on all the candy. On New Years day I always let the kids eat the house. Mostly they ate the candy, as the house part was kind of dry by then, but they loved the "demolition" as much as the building.