This weekend my house was filled with the scent of gingerbread, and the sounds of 10 little girls having fun! We hosted a Gingerbread House Decorating Party for some of my daughter’s friends as a special way to kick off the Christmas season.
I asked each guest to bring a (store bought) gingerbread house to decorate, and we spent the afternoon decorating houses and enjoyed some treats.
Please enjoy our Gingerbread House Party…
I prepared a dessert table in traditional Christmas colors, and filled it with yummy treats.
Desserts included…
Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
and little treat boxes (from Tomkat Studio) filled with Hershey’s Kisses.
The party invitations (above) from Tomkat Studio set the theme for the party. I prepared little favor bags for each guest, which included a little notebook (from Michael’s), stickers and a pencil (in striped bags from Tomkat Studio).
I made a banner to hang above the dessert table using custom printables from Tomkat Studio. I added dimension to the banner using folded paper and a technique similar to the idea shown HERE from TomKat Studio.
I baked Chocolate Cupcakes in festive cupcake cups (similar available from Tomkat Studio or Shop Sweet Lulu), and dressed them up with gingerbread themed toppers from Tomkat Studio.
I made yummy Gingerbread Cookies and decorated them in the classic fashion, with red-hots (baked on) and a little accent of Royal Icing.
These Marshmallow Pops are super easy to make (just dip marshallows in chocolate and add sprinkles), and are so festive and delicious! I found the stripped pop sticks at Cost Plus World Market (this year).
Cute little boxes (a printable from Tomkat Studio) were filled with Hershey’s Kisses.
I made hot chocolate and hot apple cider, and had it simmering on the stove. The kid-sized gingerbread man mugs were a recent purchase from Crate and Barrel.
Although most gingerbread kits come with candy, I had lots of other pretty candies ready to choose from as well. Personalized favor bags (above) doubled as place cards.
It was so fun after all the planning and set up to just watch the little girls all have fun! Kids are so creative and are not handicaped by fear of imperfection (as so many of us adults are!). They all jumped right in, and decorated their houses from top to bottom!
They were so proud of their creations!
A few notes for hosting your own gingerbread house party…
In years past I have made gingerbread houses for each guest… that is a silly amount of work! Guests don’t seem to mind at all to be asked to bring their own house. I highly recommend to my guests to purchase a pre-assembed house, so the kids can get right to the decorating. Young children have a hard time paitiently holding up walls and waiting for their house to be set up before getting to the decorating. Costco usually sells pre-assembled houses for the same price as most stores sell the kits.
Although most gingerbread house kits come with frosting, I still make up the frosting myself (before the party), so it’s ready to go. I use my regular Royal Icing Recipe, and mix it to a nice thick consistency. For this party of 10 girls I made 8 or 9 bags of white royal icing, and 2 bags of red, 2 bags of green, and 2 bags of blue. It seemed to be a good amount so the girls didn’t have to wait for icing, and I didn’t have a ton left over either.
Party Details ~
All set up, styling, desserts and photos by (me) Glory Albin/ Glorious Treats
Invitaions and paper details from Tomkat Studio.
All other links to recipes and props are listed within the post.
Such a fun party! I am actually doing a party next weekend with my kids. I can’t seem to find the perfect gingerbread girl/boy cutters. I know this party was from several years ago, but do you by chance remember where you got your cutters? Thanks for help with inspiration 🙂
Awww…suchh a cute party..Just loved the idea <3 !
Such an inspirational website! Beautiful cakes and actually very tasty recipes! I only started cooking again a couple of months ago and since then baking has become an addiction!!! Finding your website though with such clever ideas and clear instructions makes everything easier and more straight forward! Well done! 🙂 Greetings from Greece and the Crisis!
I’m always late to the party…. Jut perusing your blog and say this post. Such a darling party. My poor kids never got to make their houses for Christmas as things jut got too busy. I’m thinking that maybe thy should make Valentine ‘Love Shaks’ instead! Lol. Love seeing your creations on the cover of women’s world!
I wanna come over and play!! You’re, like, the best mom ever!!
Glory, beautiful post. Over 15 years ago I began a tradition with my daughter, nieces, and nephews of decorating gingerbread houses. We have done it every year since. The oldest is 25 and the youngest is 8. We have a big design awards ceremony and everyone receives something – Most Original, Cutest Cottage, Best Theme, and like that. From the oldest to the youngest, they get into the spirit of it all. I wouldn’t trade this holiday event for any other. Thanks for sharing yours with all of us.
Everything about this party is just so darling! Must share this on our FB page. 🙂
Thank you!
Man oh man! When you through a party for your kids and their friends you really throw a party. What a lovely day the kids had, the expressions on their faces is testament to that. How proud they must have all been of their creations and rightly so.
Somehow I don’t think this would go over well in my house full of boys 🙁 Can I come live with you?!!
Yes, of course Katrina! Come on over! =)
Omg…I love this. Unfortunately, my daughter is now 12, in middle school and no longer wants these type of parties- I envy you, lol. You have the cutest ideas ever! I love your blog, I’ve been trying to go through it little by little…I don’t want to miss a post. You are truly an inspiration 🙂