KYHokiemom Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 I am hosting a gingerbread house decorating party and have 28 children coming!! We are splitting the kids into 2 groups at 2 different houses, but I am wondering if the Saturday I have set aside to make houses is enough. Any advice for recipes and patterns that would be simpler to make? Any advice is greatly appreciated! TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 I bought a kit from Sams this past Monday. I haven't opened it yet, but supposedly everything is there to make the house. Is each child supposed to take home his/her own house? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Confuzzled Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 For that many kids I would just use graham crackers, royal icing, and a good selection of candies. That's what I've done and it's worked out quite well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYHokiemom Posted December 5, 2008 Author Share Posted December 5, 2008 Did you use milk cartons or just build them with the royal icing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 I agree with Confuzzled. I have done this with large groups of kids and I always have premade the houses out of graham crackers and royal icing. Make them at least the night before so they can dry thoroughly. I also have the families bring different bags of candy so there is a nice variety. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYHokiemom Posted December 5, 2008 Author Share Posted December 5, 2008 OK - so tell me that I am not a failure for not baking the gingerbread from scratch.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose in BC Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 I agree with the others who recommend either pre-fab kits or graham cracker houses. Our homeschool group, in the past, met together with our kids to make houses. Even with pre-fab kits and a parent with each group of kids, it's a bit of an ordeal. Keep it simple that way you will enjoy it more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 I agree with the others who recommend either pre-fab kits or graham cracker houses. Our homeschool group, in the past, met together with our kids to make houses. Even with pre-fab kits and a parent with each group of kids, it's a bit of an ordeal. Keep it simple that way you will enjoy it more. :iagree: Not a failure. Bless you for wanting to make that much gingerbread from scratch. Go with the grahams and call it done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 You are not a failure!!! Wait until you see how much fun the kids have decorating the graham cracker houses! Here is a link to pictures of a Halloween version but DO NOT use frosting. It will never set. http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?memberId=-1&grpId=3659174697244981&articleId=281474977148019 For royal icing, go to a craft store that has a big Wilton cake decorating section and get Wilton meringue powder. It is a dry egg white and it has a recipe for royal icing inside the label. You'll need 10X sugar, water and the meringue powder. You'll need to make enough icing to assemble the houses and to give the children when they decorate. Believe me, making 28 gingerbread houses our of graham crackers is a BIG job. It will take a couple hours. You will break crackers and get frustrated. I usually create the walls and then let them dry for an hour or so. Then I do the roofs. It will take a few houses for you to find your rhythm. Don't be afraid to glob on the royal icing. It will dry like cement and look pretty. And do not make a "floor" to the house with a graham cracker. A floor makes it very difficult to make the house square and steady. You'll also need styrofoam plates. Paper plates are not too flimsy. If you get the bigger size, there will be room for paths and other decorative elements. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYHokiemom Posted December 5, 2008 Author Share Posted December 5, 2008 I am planning on making a house for each child to take home. I think I will go with the graham crackers. I had in my head baking the houses, but not for 28 children! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pata Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 We made our gingerbread house from the kit, I recently posted about it on my blog. Honestly my dd was frustrated by the assembly of it, but loved to decorate it. With that many kids I would definiately assemble them the night before(it takes at least three hours to dry), that way the kids can focus on the fun part! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYHokiemom Posted December 5, 2008 Author Share Posted December 5, 2008 I appreciate your encouragement! Every year I try to slow down in December and every year I still feel rushed. I will simplify the houses and enjoy the fellowship! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melhouse Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 We did this one year where each child brought his own undecorated house (graham crackers). The hostess provided the candy. I think we all brought a can of white frosting. It worked fine. Some of the older kids were creative with ice cream cone trees and sleighs made from graham crackers and candy canes. It was a lot of fun. Have fun and take lots of pictures, Melissa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueridge Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 If you go here http://www.livingbookscurriculum.com/ you can access the LBC free Christmas Helper. It is a nice collection of 19 pages or so of things to learn, see and make for the holiday. There are instructions for making a simple graham cracker gingerbread house. Have fun! Ginger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 I had a friend who made gingerbread houses for 12 little girls. They had so much trouble that they pulled out the airplane glue to get them to stay together. She almost died when one of the parents told her how good it was. She never thought they would eat the gingerbread. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 I had a friend who made gingerbread houses for 12 little girls. They had so much trouble that they pulled out the airplane glue to get them to stay together. She almost died when one of the parents told her how good it was. She never thought they would eat the gingerbread. :lol: hehehe....we always hot glue ours together the boys know not to eat the corners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 Starr & Lynn --- That is so funny! I have made the Wilton meringue powder royal icing graham cracker gingerbread houses (WMPRIGCGH -- some one please add this to the acronym list :D )so many times and once it dries, those walls ain't comin' apart! That said, there is a learning curve to assembling them. I've been in tears b/c of frustration and a desire for perfectionism about the houses. Thank goodness my dh always reminds me how I feel like this every year til I get in my gingerbread assembly groove. Don't be afraid to glob that icing into the corners...it really looks pretty once the houses are all decorated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 Oh, and have a recipe ready to use up all the graham cracker crumbs that you'll get. Like this one: Peanut Butter Bars I INGREDIENTS 1 cup butter or margarine, melted 2 cups graham cracker crumbs 2 cups confectioners' sugar 1 cup peanut butter 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 4 tablespoons peanut butter DIRECTIONS In a medium bowl, mix together the butter or margarine, graham cracker crumbs, confectioners' sugar, and 1 cup peanut butter until well blended. Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan. In a metal bowl over simmering water, or in the microwave, melt the chocolate chips with the peanut butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. Spread over the prepared crust. Refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into squares. I make something like this but I can't find my exact recipe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1bassoon Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 We did this at Thanksgiving - We just used plain old white icing in a tub to stick the graham crackers onto small milk cartons, and then decorated away. The white icing worked just fine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 We did this at Thanksgiving - We just used plain old white icing in a tub to stick the graham crackers onto small milk cartons, and then decorated away. The white icing worked just fine! The crackers are stabilized by the milk cartons so I can see how regular frosting would work in your case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogpond1 Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 and I stick them together ahead of time with carmelized sugar. I put white sugar in an electric frying pan on low until it melts and turns a brown caramel color. Then I dip a side of a cracker in and the stick it to the next side and build the house. When the sugar dries it is hard as a rock and the houses are ready to glue (with the sugar) to a paper plate. They decorate them with royal icing (I use merangue spell? powder from Michaels) and they look lovely. I have to do 31 this year and I'm making them Monday night. I've done it where they build their own and you get some super creative failures. I prefer the creativity to be put into the decorating. If you have a huge variety of little candies and pretzels etc. for decorating they can come out so cute. If you email me your email I'll send you pictures from last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 and I stick them together ahead of time with carmelized sugar. I put white sugar in an electric frying pan on low until it melts and turns a brown caramel color. Then I dip a side of a cracker in and the stick it to the next side and build the house. When the sugar dries it is hard as a rock and the houses are ready to glue (with the sugar) to a paper plate. They decorate them with royal icing (I use merangue spell? powder from Michaels) and they look lovely. I have to do 31 this year and I'm making them Monday night. I've done it where they build their own and you get some super creative failures. I prefer the creativity to be put into the decorating. If you have a huge variety of little candies and pretzels etc. for decorating they can come out so cute. If you email me your email I'll send you pictures from last year. This sounds neat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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