Gingerbread.... tradition

Just because December of 2010 was completely NUTS doesn't mean we ditch Tradition. Just because the kids don't actually like Gingerbread doesn't mean we ditch Tradition. Just because we're all on a diet and shouldn't eat candy at all, let alone cookies, etc, doesn't mean... anything at all! But our creations reflect some of those things... like the houses weren't made out of Gingerbread at all, Aidan having the bright idea to use sugar cookies instead. The houses didn't fit smoothly together because I didn't spare the time to measure and eye-balling is faulty... not to mention, I burnt at least a third of the walls. The candy was eaten almost as fast as it went on the houses, since we have deprived ourselves for months and intense sugar is so appealing, leaving us to work with chocolate chips, which were ingredients for something else, but worked well, of course. The kids built with plans of eating 'em, and after Aidan's birthday, it was an all-out village chow-down. After that, I didn't feel the need to make any more Traditional Cookies... or maybe 'cause Angie whipped up such a beautiful plate with 12 varieties! Despite our half-hearted efforts, we gained 10 lbs in the week of Christmas. Tradition!