Nothing will take this gingerbread home down and it requires no baking! Enjoy a gingerbread home that you can enjoy year after year…

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Used Cardboard boxes
• Xacto Knife
• White Paint Pen or White Puffy Paint
• Hot Glue Gun
• Metal Ruler
• Tracing Paper or Coloured Acetate
• Battery Operated Tea Light (optional)

Step #1: Gather some old cardboard boxes and a ruler.

Take apart your boxes, so you have several flat sheets of cardboard. Begin by drawing out your house design. Use your ruler for straight edges.

Tip: Keep the house design simple; you can dress it up with your puffy paint royal icing.

Step #2: Cut out all the pieces

Using a metal ruler and a brand new blade in your knife cut out all the pieces. Be sure to go slowly, it will take a few passes to cut all the way through.

Tip: If your edges start to look ragged, change out to a new sharper blade.

Step #3: Add gingerbread details

When all of the sides are cut out of your houses, use your white paint pen or puffy paint to decorate them like gingerbread houses. Be sure to add trim with your paint, even some gingerbread details.

Tip: Using Puffy Paint will make the gingerbread house look even more realistic.

Step #4: Adding frost on the windows

Turn the cardboard pieces over and glue small pieces of tracing paper over the back of the windows and doors.  This will make your windows look frosted from the cold weather. Or consider coloured acetate if you want modern stained glass windows.

Tip: Wax paper will work just as well for your frosted window.

Step #5: Start constructing your houses

Use glue to attach the sides to the front. Then add the back.

Step #6: Add a roof!

I always suggest waiting to measure and cut the roof last. Sometimes, your final house is not exactly the size you planned due to inconsistencies in cutting or something not having perfectly right angles. I mean I’m no architect…

Tip: Don’t forget to decorate your roof as well.

Step #7: Add some Christmas lights

You can make several of these little houses to make an adorable gingerbread version. You could even make one based on the design of your own home. Once you have created your home, or village, we want to light it up. Add in light under your gingerbread house to make it glow at night.

Tip: For safety, only use a battery operated tea light inside your house.

And then you are all done…. Or are you? I mean these gingerbread houses are cute and all but why not take it a step further. Why not turn these little houses into gift boxes? Wouldn’t it be adorable to gift someone a gingerbread model of their home with a gift inside? All you have to do is cut out a bottom panel for your house.

And I would recommend making your roof a bit different. Cut your two pieces of the roof out and glue them to each other but not onto the house. And add a chimney so they can easily open the lid. Fill them with home-baked goodies or a small gift…it’s like two gifts in one.