Decorating gingerbread houses is a timeless holiday tradition. But watching your children lose control of the icing, hearing the clink and clank of tiny bits of candy hitting your kitchen floor and yelling at them repeatedly to stop eating the decorations is far from blissful. So I’m taking back this tradition and after the hectic pace of the holidays  unwinding with friends for some friendly competition while smelling gingerbread is bliss. Kids are still involved, they are the judges!

Gingerbread kids

Best roof design and walkway

Gingy is walking in the door!

The Mickey house

All the houses were creative and beautiful!

We worked in teams and mine and Ellen’s house won, based mostly on Ellen’s creative addition of three gingerbread kids that oddly resembled the judges. The house adorned with Mickey Mouse came in a close second.  As winner Ellen was awarded Penny’s handmade garland, Lucas’ first edition comic book and to round things out a bit I tossed in a bottle of Domaine Carneros champagne.

Photo courtesy of Penny