With the holidays just around the corner, I’m so excited to begin celebrating the most festive time of the year!  Although it can be a hectic time, I always make sure to kick it off with a fun get-together with my girlfriends. 

This year, I wanted us to tap into our creative spirits with a DIY Gingerbread House party!  Of course, not your ordinary Gingerbread Houses because what’s a house without a little bit of sparkle and shine.  For my table setup, I kept with traditional Christmas colors of red, green and white and added touches of gold throughout. 

To save time, I used pre-cut Gingerbread House kits, but the first thing I did was toss those boring candy decorations that are included in the kits and replaced it with more modern decorations – washi tape, gift tags, glitter and confetti.  It’s less messy and if you’re like me, you probably have all of these essentials stored from Christmas' past.

To finish my table setup, I once again turned to Oh Joy! and her UH-amazing holiday line at Target!  Her fun mix-and-match holiday prints with gold accents were incorporated into her entire collection of plates, goblets, lanterns and paper fans making holiday decorating easy and stress-free!  Target also scored a huge holiday win with their reasonably priced holiday décor so I was able to get everything I needed in a single shopping trip.  I picked up Bottle Brush Tabletop Christmas trees in a variety of sizes and colors (on sale now), a burlap banner, a chalkboard sign and more gingerbread house decorations.

With many stores already stocking their shelves with holiday decorations, it’s the perfect time to start gathering pieces to create your own DIY Gingerbread House party.

Essentials:

• Bottle Brush Tabletop Christmas Trees
• Mason Jars
• Dessert Stands
• Gingerbread Holiday House Kit
• Craft Paper
• Assortment of Washi Tape
• Gold Glitter
• Gold Boxes
• Holiday Table Runner

Décor:

• Oh Joy! Paper Fans
• Oh Joy! Ornament Placecard Holders
• Oh Joy! Plaid Lanterns
• Oh Joy! Plastic Goblets
• Burlap Bunting Banner
• Confetti
• Wooden spoons and knives
• Gift Tags
• Copper twinkling lights
• Chalkboard Sign

 Sweets:

• Candy Canes
• Green Gum Drops
• White Chocolate Covered Pretzels
• Gingerbread Family
• White Chocolate

As my favorite Christmas song goes – “It’s the most wonderful time of the year…” and I couldn’t agree more.  Mix great friends and a holiday activity that all can participate in and you’ll be amazed at everyone’s creative take on Christmas!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Courtney Chan has been an educator for over a decade, inspiring her students to think creatively and dream big!  And she makes sure to incorporate her own advice into everything she does - from planning special events in the classroom to joyous celebrations for her close family and friends.  She enjoys crafting, DIY projects and creating themed events from start to finish.Courtney has a penchant for all things that shine and you'll never see her leave home without her signature sparkle, glitter or gold.  Her blog "Sparkles For All" combines her passion for planning special events with her motto to always    shine bright like a diamond!  

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