Holiday Traditions: Building Community, Building Gingerbread Houses

Are you a Vancouver mom wondering what holiday traditions to start with your family? Sometimes the best place to begin is by building community traditions with your neighbours. It is a wonderful life lesson for kids to learn to be community focused, rather than dreaming about a commercialized Christmas. The beauty of having a young family is the ability to create holiday traditions from the ground up. Last year I started baking holiday treats for our neighbours and this year we joined together with friends across the road to make gingerbread houses. The kids had a blast, the parents drank cocktails, and the evening finished off on a high note with a guitar and Christmas carols.

A Short History of Gingerbread

Gingerbread was introduced to Europe in 992 by an Armenian monk, George of Nicopolis. Years later Swedish nuns were making gingerbread to help ease indigestion (a great excuse to eat gingerbread after a turkey dinner!). The creation of gingerbread houses has its roots in Germany, based on the not-so-kid-friendly story of Hansel and Gretel. Since 1991 the people of Bergen, Norway have built a city of gingerbread houses, claimed to be the largest edible city in the world.

A Plan of Action

When it came to building our gingerbread house my husband refused to buy a pre-packaged, supply kit with ready made gingerbread pieces. He found this recipe online and went to work with our three year old to create the dough. It was, ahem, a bit like a flour storm had spun through our house, but the messier the merrier for kids. To decorate the houses we stocked up at The Candy Aisle on West 4th. Our son was like a spinning top, whirling around the shop trying to discover the tastiest decorations for his masterpiece.

Building Community Around Holiday Traditions

The men took charge of gingerbread house making, getting their hands sticky with the kids and putting their construction skills to the test. It’s hard to say how much candy made it on the houses compared to inside little mouths. Despite the sugar crashes, though, the night was a success!

The holidays are about more than spending money we do not have on things we do not need. Tell us the creative ways your family will be getting involved in the community and building holiday traditions this year!

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This post was sponsored by Christmas at Canada Place, which runs through December 30, 2012. Stroll the Christmas Trail with an array of beautifully decorated Christmas trees, hot chocolate, festive craft activities, face painting, storytelling and several of the Woodward’s Windows displays. And come to Breakfast with Santa on December 15 and 16, 2012, where VancouverMom.ca will be on hand helping your kids make a holiday craft. It’s truly one of the best holiday traditions in Vancouver – add it to your list.