Cookies for Santa

Every year on Christmas Eve we decorate cookies and leave some for Santa.  We usually make gingerbread cookies, but the kids don't like the way they taste, so this year we just made sugar cookies.  We always have fun and I love how the finished products reflect everyone's personalities.

 

Chris made a grinch cookie but I think it got eaten before I managed to get a picture!

Gingerbread House

I was finishing putting away the last of the Christmas stuff today.  I went to throw away Ella's little Gingerbread house that she made at preschool and realized that I had never posted a picture of it.  It was pretty simple - we decorated it in cereal (to avoid her eating all the candy).  Everyone thought she had the best roof though.  We used muddy buddies because they looked a little like roof shingles with snow on them.

Ella's preschool teacher has a really clever way to make these gingerbread houses.  (You'll have to file this idea away for next year!)  First we took a little mini milk carton.  You know those little ones that the kids get at school?  First we used some frosting to anchor the milk carton to the plate.  Then we covered the entire carton with frosting and "glued" on the graham crackers.  It worked great cause the milk carton gives the graham crackers stability they wouldn't have on their own!  Then the kids were free to decorate it without us having to worry about the house falling over.   Too cute!