- Rebecca, Alastair and the house he wants to get his little hands on!
The day after Thanksgiving, my precious daughter hosted her annual family gingerbread house party and what a party it was!
Rebecca was especially excited about Cousin Robert’s hand-me-down John-John. Smocked with gingerbread boys and candy canes, it looked just as good on Alastair as it did two years ago on Robert.
Like so many of the brother-sister outfits I have made for them, these garments were both ready-to-smock. It’s very rewarding to see this outfit have a second life with my second grandson. Of course, Robert and Laurel have been raised in our family’s gingerbread tradition and made their first houses that year.
Laurel and Robert, wearing the gingerbread John-John now worn by his little cousin Alastair
Since my children were little, we’ve always made gingerbread houses for Christmas. For several years, the PlayGroup Mamas gathered to make houses for the children, before they all left home. But that was before the handy kits with pre-baked walls and roof panels, frosting mix and a generous supply of candies. Back then it was 3 day operation–one to bake and cool the panels, one to assemble the houses and let them dry, and one for decorating.  We got together three different evenings to get our houses ready for Christmas. One year, someone commented that we worked as hard as a construction crew on our houses.
college junior Rebecca, wearing her gingerbread apron
The next year I made PGM Construction Company aprons for everyone, including some of the PlayGroup Kids.
I love the PGM text font, a freebie called the Bonaparte alphabet. When I downloaded it, I couldn’t imagine where I would ever use it. And then all of a sudden, it was perfect for my project. Does that happen to you?
But sadly, now this alphabet seems to be unavailable. If anyone knows a site where this collection is offerred, I would love to hear about it.
The gingerbread house design is from an early Bernina collection, Christmas #105.
In one bottom corner is an ultrasuede gingerbread man applique’ with the owner’s name.
One of my favorite features of the aprons is the shadow scallop worked around the outer edges.
The right swing of the needle stitches in the air. In order to get good coverage and to reduce the enormous amount of time needed to cover all this yardage, I used 12 wt. thread.
It covered beautifully with an elongated length, which reduced the total number of stitches needed.
Behind the chandelier is 89 year-old Ruby supervising her son's efforts.
At her party, Rebecca and I wore our aprons, stained with years of memories.
The kits are real time savers, with pre-baked walls and roof panels, frosting mix and a generous supply candies. The roofs have scallops pressed in and even windows and doors scored for ease in decorating.
After purchasing gingerbread house kits, available at JoAnn’s, Michael’s and other such places, Rebecca loaded up on additional candy “building materials.”
Rebecca's finished house
Thursday night, after overeating an incredibly delicious Thanksgiving dinner at the home of Rebecca’s in-laws, my daughter and I assembled eight houses. They require several hours of drying time before they are stable enough for the pressure of the decorating process.
 She and Harvey really know how to make a party seem effortless, though there is a lot of effort involved with a party like this. Early that morning, she protected the dining room rug with old sheets, the chairs with towels and the table with another old sheet. The men picked up pizzas, wings and some other treats for our lunch while the women enjoyed Christmas music and all the decorations.
But as soon lunch was over, the candy fun began and it was kickoff for the Alabama/Auburn football game.   The men hunkered down in front of the tv and alternately cheered and groaned as the game progressed. At one point, we spotted Alastair nestled between his father and beloved Uncle Doug, slurping milk in his sippy cup. It looked like he was chugging a beer with the guys, though they were all drinking Diet Coke and iced tea.
The finished houses were as fun and creative and varied as the builders. Guests included a dear neighbor, Harvey’s two aunts, his mother, her husband, and his 89 year-old mother.  Ruby had planned to decorate a house, but at the last minute decided that  she would rather supervise her son’s efforts.  Alan rose to the occasion and, like a little boy presenting his mother with a bouquet of fresh picked flowers from her own garden, surrendered his sugary abode.
What a sweet day this was. It sometimes surprises me just how intertwines are my sewing projects and family activities. Now my gingerbread apron holds another year of stains and treasured memories.
