Was about to get Target brand ones but saw some really awful reviews online about stuff being broken and not sticking together. Do you have a fav brand you always get? Do share!
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I’ve had good luck with the Wilton ones. Michaels store brand one (and probably Joann and others) are made by them I think.
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I always used to get the wilton premade house. The house is pre-constructed and I would just add candy. Often I supplemented extra candy because I would have a color preference or want to do something beyond what was provided. I never encountered the house being broken and the icing always worked to hold the candy. I never really ate any of this though so if thats your intention I really cannot speak for taste or staleness.
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We got the Wilton ones last year too, and really like them. We bought them from Michaels.
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@snowjewelz: I got one at Michael's and it was probably user error because I am absolutely terrible at crafts, but I couldn't get it to stay together and some of the pieces caved in. From now on I'm only getting the pre-built ones that you just decorate because it was really frustrating.
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I got one from Kroger (grocery store) and it was fine. But I assembled it and let it dry fully before I let DS decorate. It came with a plastic form tray that the house sits on. Grooves held the walls in place - i think that helped a lot!
https://www.amazon.com/Create-Treat-Large-Gingerbread-House/dp/B00AG1X1J0
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@IRunForFun: Good to know! Was it the one you were just doing with C?
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@IRunForFun: Yikes. That doesn't sound fun. The Wilton one we got from Micheals was pre-built and we just decorated. Try that one next time!!
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@snowjewelz: if you don't plan on eating the house then put it together with hot glue - works wonderfully!!!
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@Mamaof2: oh that works! yeah I am not planning on letting them eat it
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@snowjewelz: Yes! I did read online to just hot glue it together and not let kids eat the cookie, but I don't have a hot glue gun. We eventually gave up and I let her decorate the pieces individually. I'm calling it our deconstructed gingerbread house.
@Lahela017: That's what I'm going to do next time!
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Ginger bread houses that aren't prebuilt are my nemesis!! And I am pretty crafty!!! Every year for the past 3 years that stinkin elf on the shelf has brought a ginger bread house for us to put together and decorate and every year I think its going to be soo fun and then I can't get the dang thing to stay together....soooooooo this year the elf is bringing one that is already together!! all we have to do is decorate it...
So my advise would be to buy the premade ones and if you didn't get out the hot glue gun to glue those suckers together bc that's the ONLY way I can conceivably think that they stay together
ETA @IRunForFun YESS. I didn't see your post until after mine... but yes to all of it!! and I am crafty
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@snowjewelz: omg i didn’t even know prebuilt was an option!! My sister got us the target train this year and that thing was a nightmare. 3 adults and a toddler and we still couldn’t complete it and have it hold together!
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@wrkbrk: Uggh yeah that's what I am seeing reviews for, all from that wondershop brand!!
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We got the Wilton one for $10 from Michael’s and I was happy with it. I would just caution that if you don’t get a premade one, note that you’re supposed to let it dry for 2-3 hours before you start decorating. We didn’t realize this, and consequently I was trying to hold the pieces together while the kids decorated, because once we said they could open it there was no stopping them.
Also for those of you who don’t let the kids eat it, HOW? It never even occurred to me that the kids would want to eat it but literally the second they finished they started asking to eat it.
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@snowjewelz: The answer is YES! We got a pre-constructed one (sounds like from previous replies it was probably a Wilton) and it turned out amazing. LO doesn't have the patience for the construction process and I think it's a PITA, frankly.
Oh and don't buy them on sale with the intention of using them next year. Poor DH tried one with DS that required construction and was from last year. The frosting had gone hard and blew out the bag. They tried their best but those were some saaaad looking houses.
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We got a wondershop kit and it was great! The mini house village. I supplemented with more candy we had but there were no broken pieces, enough candy for the houses as-is, and enough frosting to stick them together well. Just letting you know that we had a good experience with it!
It’s possible that since it was the little houses there was less potential for breakage, and the weight of the pieces was lighter so easier to stand up/stick together with the icing? -
We’ve used random sets from target, Trader Joe, Aldi—they’ve all worked.
The trick is to assemble the house and let fully dry/harden (several hours or overnight) before you let the kids decorate.
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@erinbaderin: I put it up on the bookshelf and soon enough my 3.5yo was on a chair pulling m&ms off the roof. So now it’s even higher and kind of out of sight and he seems to have forgotten ... but that kid would eat anything resembling candy!
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We use this reusable plastic house - it’s fun to decorate for any holiday, and relatively easy to clean. No concerns about crumbling walls or roofs caving in, either!
Candy Cottage Gingerbread House https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008K6VMRG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_eRkcCbCGSH6K6
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I agree with everyone about getting a premade house. One year we tried to build our own and my architect DH and his engineer friend had trouble getting them to stay together
This year we found a set that is Grinch themed. I don't remember the brand, but it came with a plastic tray with grooves in it to help the walls stay up. So even though we had to put it together, it actually stayed up really nicely.
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I found a foam sticker gingerbread set at Target. My 3 year old could do the stickers herself, and no mess! Also no tempation to eat it! That all makes mommy happy.
Target doesn't seem to have the one I bought on their website, but it was fairly similar to this one from Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Baker-Ross-Gingerbread-Christmas-Decorations/dp/B07H5Q7W95/ref=pd_sbs_201_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07H5Q7W95&pd_rd_r=e4e62e04-f96a-11e8-ad48-374dd6ac57fb&pd_rd_w=fwJMk&pd_rd_wg=8eNdC&pf_rd_p=7d5d9c3c-5e01-44ac-97fd-261afd40b865&pf_rd_r=6TZDZBB4PDSDE0JDSPQB&psc=1&refRID=6TZDZBB4PDSDE0JDSPQB -
@lindseykaye: I'm so glad your turned out good! The little cottages is the one I wanted to get. Maybe I'll just get it on top of a pre-assembled one just in case! They look cute!!
@Anagram: That looks amazing! So I'd prob do it at night after they go to bed so they are not whining to touch it!
@PinkElephant: OK this is just genius!
@krispi: Ohhh this is an awesome non-food alternative! Totally buying this!
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I take my son to an event where there is a pre built house. If I had to do it myself, though, I'd just go to the gourmet grocery in the next town and purchase one of the pre assembled ones that they do.
That plastic one is so smart!
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We tend to get one from Trader Joe's and laugh at the disaster it becomes.
Just a note to all of you who buy the houses from Wilton....I would recommend never eating them. I used to work for the company. You would be amazed at how old that gingerbread actually is......
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@snowjewelz: RIght?!?! I can't take credit for finding it - My sister has girls who are now 15 and 17 years old - she is my expert advice on all things like this. They used theirs for years!
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@lindseykaye: Someone else just told me they had a good experience with this one too. I might try this one.
This year we found a set that is Grinch themed. I don't remember the brand, but it came with a plastic tray with grooves in it to help the walls stay up. So even though we had to put it together, it actually stayed up really nicely.
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