Our family experiences with gingerbread houses actually started out rather simple. Our first couple of times were simply with graham crackers, icing, and candy. Then we moved onto the prepackaged kits. Those were fun because they stood up much better and actually looked like a house!
The problem with the the kits, however, is that none of the candy is any good. What good is making a gingerbread house and decorating it with candy that is no fun to pick off? Seriously. Isn't it all about the picking-off of the candy???
After a couple years of enduring the yuck candy, we decided to buy the kits and then buy a bunch of candy that we wanted to put on instead. I liked this solution--still simple, but far better in the snackage department.
Then along came the wonderful idea in the Family Fun magazine about making a gingerbread train. I held onto that idea for a couple of years, and then finally acted upon it. We made a train two years ago, and we had so much fun decorating! It was definitely a lot more work, but it was really enjoyable to do.
We repeated the train, upon kid's request, this year. I decided to go a bit bigger and make a car for each of us to decorate. Seven cars. That is a triple batch of gingerbread. Lots of rolling and cutting and baking and icing and assembling. We bought lots of candy. Far too much. But we need options, right?
We all decorated, some with more patience for style than others. We all ate candy and laughed and played and ate candy and decorated and ate candy...and ate a little more candy. Finally the trains were done and placed in their annual location of the top of the piano. They barely fit, we had too many cars in our train!
It was so cute, but next year we are probably going back down to five cars. Mom and Dad will just have to assist.
The problem with the the kits, however, is that none of the candy is any good. What good is making a gingerbread house and decorating it with candy that is no fun to pick off? Seriously. Isn't it all about the picking-off of the candy???
After a couple years of enduring the yuck candy, we decided to buy the kits and then buy a bunch of candy that we wanted to put on instead. I liked this solution--still simple, but far better in the snackage department.
Then along came the wonderful idea in the Family Fun magazine about making a gingerbread train. I held onto that idea for a couple of years, and then finally acted upon it. We made a train two years ago, and we had so much fun decorating! It was definitely a lot more work, but it was really enjoyable to do.
We repeated the train, upon kid's request, this year. I decided to go a bit bigger and make a car for each of us to decorate. Seven cars. That is a triple batch of gingerbread. Lots of rolling and cutting and baking and icing and assembling. We bought lots of candy. Far too much. But we need options, right?
We all decorated, some with more patience for style than others. We all ate candy and laughed and played and ate candy and decorated and ate candy...and ate a little more candy. Finally the trains were done and placed in their annual location of the top of the piano. They barely fit, we had too many cars in our train!
It was so cute, but next year we are probably going back down to five cars. Mom and Dad will just have to assist.
Lily, Evie, Alexis, David, and Joe
Some of the candy!
Evie placed all her candies by herself! 
David hard at work
Lily
Joe and Ez
Evie sneaking a taste of the candy!
Keri and Alexis
Alexis's creation 
Beauchamp Family Train 2009 
Artists in order by car: Joe, Evie, Alexis, Ez, Keri, David, Lily
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