What a treasure ! We just had our first grand son born on 11/1/11. I think he will be too small for this project this year :) Love those rockers...I can't think of a more wonderful gift . They will treasure them always. c

Very sweet! I've done this with my daughter and two of her friends every year since they were about six -she is 16 now and still loves it!

They did a great job! Looks professional! Is the roof shredded mini wheat?

The rockers are incredible!!!!

It's so pretty-- they did a great job. Using the cereal squares for the roof was really clever, and they did a nice job with the icicles- that couldn't have been easy. I also like the way they did the stained glass windows.

How darling! My husband's family started off with these when he and his sibs were small and by the time they were in college, they were building gingerbread Taj Mahals and most famously, The Women's House of Detention, which was pretty hilarious, even if well constructed.

You could be raising architects!

They did a very nice job and what a perfect activity to share with them this time of year. The icicles are great.

What a beautiful job, and they will treasure those rockers.

They did a wonderful job! I might steal some ideas from them. Since he was 2, my 8 year old grandson and I have made candy trees at Christmas. Now, his sister joins us. Last year, we tried a packaged gingerbread house but it didn't go so well.

You say you and your DH put the house together. Did you bake the gingerbread yourself, and did you use caramel syrup or royal icing to hold it together? I want to try again this year.
Dee

Thank you all for your kind comments. I had no idea about family traditions of building gingerbread houses existed.

trainrunner - congratulations on your first. You won't have difficulty remembering the birthdate.

bestyears - it must be rewarding that your teen age daughter and her friends share a decade of memories with you.

kristinekr - yes, frosted mini wheats. My DH made the rockers from plans and always describes them as taking 3 months of every spare waking moment.

nancybee - The kids raided the pantry for the special effects, cereal for the roof and ice cream cones for the trees.

ideefixe - interesting observation as their father began his college studies to be an architect, then changed to industrial design.

lascatx - the icicles actually are just streams of the royal icing. A few fell into the snow below.

texanjana - The rockers have stayed in their rooms since they outgrew riding them.

deeinohio - This was a Wilton kit that I purchased at Michaels. It was complete with royal icing and the candies. I also purchased a heavy tray onto which it is built. The kids just added their personalization.

The house they built is beautiful but the experience of doing it with them is really what I think is priceless.

Beautiful. You were VERY smart to assemble the house beforehand. One year I foolishly had a gingerbread house decorating party for 10 fifth graders. Ha. The girls assembled the houses and while they were supposedly drying up the girls did other activities. When it was time to decorate it was like a natural disaster on my kitchen table. We had lots of laughs and my husband and I ran around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to do remodeling and repairs.

That is fantastic, and the memory is priceless.

Thanks for the info. I think that's what we used last year, but ours didn't look anywhere near what yours looks like.

On the topic of family traditions and memories, I'd like to tell you about what these types of activities with a respected adult mean to them. Years ago, I mentored at-risk pre-teen girls during my social work internship. After, I continued to mentor one girl, who only had a father (who tried but spend off-work hours drinking); her mother had desserted them. I had her over at Christmas and we put together the saddest looking gingerbread house you've ever seen. It was graham crackers and whatever candies we could find around the house. Years later, when the girl was now 20, my DD ran into her. She told her she still had that gingerbread house.

Your grandchildren will hold this memory (and those fantastic horses) close to their heart for life.

Dee

A continuing thank you for everyone's outpouring.

rococogurl - you are so right, they are a treasure and they grow so fast.

deee - funny! Yes, when I saw that 2-3 hours was required between assembly and decorating I knew a head start would be necessary.

cliff_and_joann - thank you.

deeinohio - Isn't it especially rewarding when you later learn just how significant a minor interaction with another person can be to their life.