Saturday, December 13, 2014

Gingerbread & Giggles

Along with holiday baking comes a lot of fun, fun, fun! Old family traditional recipes handed down from generation to generation, new recipes from the latest and greatest holiday cookbooks and magazines, as well as family members pitching in with their own personal creative ideas add to the festiveness of the holiday season. For this day's celebration the theme is still gingerbread. This time let's add some giggles by continuing with the gingerbread house decorating and adding a few guests to the holiday sugar shacks!

December 13 is...

Gingerbread Decorating Day

“Run,run as fast as you can! You can’t catch me. I’m the Gingerbread Man!”

Along with the gingerbread house must be inhabitants...a colorful little gingerbread family! Most gingerbread men share the same roughly humanoid shape, with stubby feet and no fingers. Many gingerbread men have a face, though whether the features are indentations within the face itself or other candies stuck on with icing or chocolate varies from recipe to recipe. Other decorations are common; hair, shirt cuffs, and shoes are sometimes applied, but by far the most popular decoration are shirt buttons, which are traditionally represented by gum drops, icing, or raisins.

Get the kids into the kitchen and test their creativity. Make it a challenge to see who can come up with their own coolest creation!

Let's begin with an all-time Christmas favorite...Rudolph!

Gingerbread Rudolph (Recipe)

It's cold outside so add a gingerbread snowman!

Gingerbread Snowman (Decoration Ideas)

Start the family with the traditional gingerbread man!

Gingerbread Men (Recipe)

Time to add some giggles, bring on the children!

Gingerbread Children (Recipe)

A Bit of Gingerbread History...

Gingerbread dates back to the 15th century, and figural biscuit-making was practiced in the 16th century. The first documented instance of figure-shaped gingerbread-biscuits appearing was in the court of Elizabeth I of England. She had the gingerbread figures made and presented in the likeness of some of her important guests.

Make sure Mom gets one really special...she's the one with the BIG heart!