Get ready to flex your baking and crafting muscles, dear readers. December 12 is Gingerbread House Day. According to “The Guardian,” this seasonal tradition started in the early 1800s, inspired by the “Hansel and Gretel” fairy tale. Now, there are multiple festivals every year celebrating the art, including the creations of entire gingerbread villages. I confess I have only ever tried my hand at one single confectionary construction of this type, and a less than photo-worthy effort it was. However, I’ve decided to up my winter coziness game this year and therefore might give gingerbread houses another go. Looking to the library for help, I found a few likely resources.
“Gingerbread Wonderland: 30 Magical Houses, Cookies & Bakes” by Mima Sinclair. While this book contains several cute baked abodes — including an adorable birdhouse — it gives us plenty of other options, too. Maybe if I start to feel overwhelmed with the complexities of building, I can fall back to one of the simpler projects included here, such as reindeer cookies or tree ornaments. I give the author extra points for using inexpensive ingredients that are easy to find.
“A Year of Gingerbread Houses: Making & Decorating Gingerbread Houses for All Seasons” 
by Kristine Samuell. Why restrict the fun to one month? Samuell thinks outside the seasonal box, sharing ideas for Halloween and Valentine’s Day themed houses, among others. The designs here look a little advanced to this novice and might be best for those who have a few gingerbread houses under their belts already. On the other hand, the instructions are detailed, with ample explanations of terminology. So don’t let my insecurities throttle anyone’s ambitions.
“The Gingerbread Architect: Recipes and Blueprints for Twelve Classic American Homes” by Susan Matheson and Lauren Chattman. For those who are serious about their gingerbread fun, this book provides the recipes, blueprints and timelines needed to build an edible American dreamhouse. The authors include a good variety of styles, from Victorian farmhouse to a pueblo with candy cacti, and an art deco house accessorized with pink flamingo cookies. The glossary of architectural terms is a nice feature.
Creative Bug has a couple of tutorials for gingerbread creations. Sometimes it’s easier to learn a craft from seeing a demonstration. An added bonus is the ability to interact and post questions.
“A Gingerbread Romance.” I don’t know if there’s much to be learned
by watching this film about a budding relationship between a baker and an architect who team up to build a life-sized gingerbread house for a competition. But what are the winter holidays without a sappy sweet, feel-good Hallmark movie? After all the hard work and creative effort is finished, a short respite with a light-hearted flick will be a well-deserved reward.
