A Family Tradition

One of my favorite traditions that we had as a family growing up, was making gingerbread houses each year around Christmas time. When I was in school, we would make one for each of my teachers. In elementary school it wasn't so bad - maybe 1-3 houses depending on teachers and aids. Once we got into junior high and high school, however, the number multiplied and we each had about 6-8 houses to hand out with all our school, piano, and seminary teachers and sports coaches. Sometimes my Mom would make 30 or more gingerbread houses each year! It was craziness! But it's something I remember very fondly. The other awesome thing, is that my siblings and I all went to the same schools. Being the youngest and having four other siblings go through the schools and teachers, it was fun to see the excitement in my teachers' eyes because they had a Van de Wetering in their class and that meant they would get a gingerbread house for Christmas. It was a great tradition and I hope to continue it with my kids as they get older.

This year, Miles' mom sent us a Christmas care package. It included a gingerbread house kit that had a house, tree, and two gingerbread men with all the frosting and candy ready for decorating. It was a really fun and easy way to make a gingerbread house. I went fairly traditional with mine.

Marci, on the other hand, had some help from some disturbed nice guys who contributed to this macabre piece of work.

Before we went out to CA, my sister mentioned she was making gingerbread for houses for Austin's preschool class. I said, "Aw...I was hoping to make them when I came out." Well, they decided to do gingerbread men for his class instead (much easier with preschoolers!) and save houses for when we came out. I was super excited! They invited some friends from church, and while I attempted to get Miles into doing it with me, it ended up being a girl's night (well...with Austin joining in the fun for a bit too). It was a lot of fun.

Owen was a little sneak and climbed up on the table to steal a treat before he went to bed and we started our houses.

Here is Kim and Austin's masterpiece. It's kind of like a Nightmare Before Christmas gingerbread house with a Halloweeny theme going on. :)And here is the house I made. Before he left, Miles contributed by putting a kiss on the inside wall before we put the roof on (obviously not pictured here). I tried to do a good job since Kim gave it away to a friend of hers.Thanks, Mom for starting such a wonderful tradition so many years ago!