Santa Claus and Gingerbread Houses!

What better way to kick off Christmas than with a surprise visit from Santa?!

Since Santa had visited us on the cousin gingerbread house making day the past two years in a row, the kids were starting to suspect his arrival, but that didn’t diminish the magic of the morning or their excitement! We are so grateful for Santa Rick and the kindness and attention he gives to every member of our family. As much as we love this tradition, we will have to start thinking about how we can change things up and reeeeally surprise the cousins with Santa’s visit next year!

Our gingerbread houses have changed over time and we’re feeling pretty good with our current set up. We first started with a giant kit, then began using graham crackers and icing. We also added sugar cone trees. Then the year I was in charge of assembling the houses, the icing was giving me a hard time and I just decided to hot glue everything together– and that is where we still stand today. Three cheers for hot glue!

Nana and Papa gifted all the grand kids some adorable new Santa, Mrs. Claus, and Snowman mugs that were perfect for hot cocoa!

“Cole, that’s the last candy, okay?

Please don’t eat any more candy, buddy.

Let’s put the next candy ON your gingerbread house. There you go… no, Cole, don’t eat it.

Put the candy on your gingerbread house.

Please stop eating the candy.

Cole, take that candy out of your mouth.

Put the candies on the house… not in your mouth, ON THE HOUSE. The house, Cole— put the candy there.

You’ve eaten enough candy, buddy. You’re going to get a tummy ache.

Cole, no more candy!

We’re only decorating now. No more eating.

Put the candy on the house, please.”

And that is what two minutes of decorating a gingerbread house with Cole sounds like, my friends. He’s following in the footsteps of his sweet-loving sister with waaaaay more candy in the tummy than on the house!

Thank you, Nana and Papa, for hosting this wonderfully special morning! We absolutely love this tradition!