Faux Gingerbread Houses

We don't have a lot of family traditions, but we do have a few at Christmas time.

Every year we make candy creations loosely based on the concept of Gingerbread houses.

Most years, I've made nativity scenes.  The kids have made everything from houses to tanks.

We celebrated Christmas on the 23rd, due to work schedules.  The kids got their new jammies on Christmas Eve.  And as you can see from Brianna's attire, we made our structures on Christmas Day morning.

We started out with 2 kinds of graham crackers and 5 tubs of peppermint frosting.

Plus, of course, loads of different kinds of candy, from red hots to peeps.

Sam was a riot.  His method of building involves making a box, filling it with candy, and putting a roof on.

The final creations were as varied as the participants.

But everyone had fun.

Jack appears to have a forest of Peep trees on one side of his structure.

Hannah's house was full of Peep snowmen.

My creation was a simple house with a "tar & gravel" roof and a jelly bean walk way.

And Brianna made a ship this year!  The blue things on the sides are waves.