Every year, we make a gingerbread creation, and it’s become one of our favorite traditions. Two years ago, I let Cohen design a big church, but the other two kids were disappointed they didn’t get to do something large too. So last year, I let Lydia choose, and she picked a castle. I changed the rules a bit so it would be a group project instead of an individual one, and it turned out perfectly—the castle was beautiful, and everyone was thrilled with how it came together.
This year, it was James’s turn to decide what we’d build. His first idea was the Freedom Tower, but once I started sketching a pattern, I realized it would be tricky—the base would only be three inches by three inches, but nearly eighteen inches tall. Definitely too unstable for gingerbread! So we sat down together and looked through some patterns online. The moment he saw a lighthouse, his eyes lit up. I think what he really wanted was something tall—and the lighthouse fit the bill perfectly.
I’m not exactly sure how we’ll all work on one big build like this, but we’ll figure it out. The castle was easier because each child could decorate a tower. This time, it’ll take a little more teamwork.
To be safe, I started baking early this week. I made three trays of gingerbread on Monday, three more on Tuesday, and two today—eight trays total! That’s a lot of gingerbread. I might even make a few smaller houses so each of the kids can still have something of their own to decorate. Thankfully, James has been more than happy to help by eating all the scraps!
