Gorgeous Gingerbread House Ideas and Fun Family Activity

*Gingerbread House by A Homemade Living – click here for recipe and tips*

A few years ago we held a gingerbread house decorating contest with the whole family. It became one of those warm, unforgettable holiday nights. My daughter Courtney and her then-fiancé organized everything—supplies, frosting, candy and even homemade certificates for categories like “most creative” and “best effort.” The goal wasn’t perfection but togetherness. We built, decorated, admired and laughed at our whimsical creations, then voted and handed out awards. Everyone left with a smile; it was fun for all ages and remains a favorite memory.

We picked up several gingerbread house kits from the grocery store during a sale, but you can also bake your own using recipes (some are linked in the captions below) or buy ready-made kits online. Kits are handy for group activities, and assembling them together makes for an easy, festive event.

Here are a few kit ideas and tools you can still find for the holidays:

Built It Yourself Mini Gingerbread Village (Amazon)

DIY Gingerbread House Kit at Williams-Sonoma

You can also try a gingerbread house bundt pan for a different, quick shape—fun to experiment with.

Below are beautiful gingerbread houses for inspiration. Ours were far from perfect, but we had a great time making them. Many of the images include recipes and step-by-step tips in the posts linked beneath each photo. Enjoy the ideas and consider trying a few decorating techniques to step up your game next season!