What are some cute ways to decorate gingerbread houses? Check out 25 candy holiday homes

Decorated gingerbread house with little circle fence

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Gingerbread houses are amazing in all their variety — from candied cottages to simple graham-cracker adobes to the mansions built with fresh, fragrant gingerbread — sweetly decorative buildings that are the epitome of festive fun.

“The process of making a gingerbread house begins with baking — filling your home with some of the most beloved scents of the season: molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves,” write Aaron Morgan and Paige Gilchrist in Making Great Gingerbread Houses: Delicious Designs from Cabins to Castles, from Lighthouses to Tree Houses.

“Think of the warm blend wafting from your oven as aromatherapy aimed at countering the effects of shopping malls and traffic. Think of it as the opposite of pre-packaged and mass-produced.”

>> Make your own with this recipe! How to make a gingerbread house

Here is our gallery with 25 gingerbread houses, including homages to the Victorian era, firefighters, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Harry Potter and other classic storybooks. Happy holidays!
1. Mountain Time Christmas – gingerbread house three-story lodge

Decorated by Diane Hammock. The sides of the house are constructed of gingerbread logs instead of a single cookie slab. Every shingle is a separate piece. All the icicles are hand drawn royal icing from a #1 round piping tube.

Mountain Time Christmas - gingerbread house 3 story lodge

Photo thanks to tsayrate


2. Neela’s Gingerbread House

Neela's Gingerbread House

Photo thanks to Roopesh Sheth


3. Gingerbread House

Gingerbread House by Gabrielle

Photo thanks to Jim, the Photographer


4. Annika’s family Gingerbread House

Annika's family Gingerbread House

Photo thanks to Alison and Fil


5. Carrie Stephens – Gingerbread house

Carrie Stephens - Gingerbread house

Photo thanks to Carrie Stephens


6. Pink Edwardian gingerbread

Pink Edwardian gingerbread

Photo thanks to Ruth Hartnup


7. Festival of Trees Christmas – Gingerbread Farm House

Popcorn balls form the tree crowns cinnamon red hots are placed for apples. Lattice work is done with pretzels, shingles on roof are cinnamon toast crunch cereal. Notice hand modeled fondant on chimney and flag pole. The swing is licorice. Apple Drop Farm gingerbread and fondant house decorated by Tamara Stokes and Youth Group.

Festival of Trees Christmas - Gingerbread Farm House

Photo thanks to tsayrate


8. Christmas Vacation gingerbread house

Christmas Vacation gingerbread house

Seen at Victoria’s Laurel Point Inn – the houses were part of a display for Habitat for Humanity. Photo thanks to Blake Handley.


1. Gingerbread house decorated by Lily

Gingerbread house decorated by Lily

Photo thanks to Brett Neilson


10. Mt Vernon Gingerbread

Mt Vernon Gingerbread

Photo thanks to american_rugbier


11. Edmonton Fire Department Christmas Bureau Gingerbread Competition

Edmonton Fire Department Christmas Bureau Gingerbread Competition

Photo thanks to Mack Male


12. Candyland Circle gingerbread house

The yummiest award went to “Candyland Circle” by Krissy Morba and Courtney Conway in the Roswell Park 2010 Tree of Hope Gingerbread House Contest.

Candyland Circle gingerbread house


13. Victorian village with carousel

This house by Kathie LiBrock and Jocelyn Dernin was named the Most Creative in the Roswell Park 2010 Tree of Hope Gingerbread House Contest.

Victorian Village with Carousel


14. Tangled gingerbread house

Kudos to the “Facilities Management A Team” on its third-prize winning Tangled-themed Gingerbread House in the Roswell Park 2010 Tree of Hope Gingerbread House Contest.

Tangled-themed Gingerbread House


15. Buffalo Sabres gingerbread house

Michelle Wild and Sarah Riggie were first place winners in the Roswell Park 2010 Tree of Hope Gingerbread House Contest.

Buffalo Sabres gingerbead house


16. Gingerbread Lane at Hyatt Regency Vancouver

Gingerbread Lane at Hyatt Regency Vancouver

Photo thanks to CK Golf Solutions


17. Super-decorated gingerbread house

“It looks like Christmas puked all over this side. I think my mom was having a little too much fun with this one.”

Super-decorated gingerbread house

Photo thanks to Jacob Haas


18. Hogwarts – Harry Potter gingerbread house

Hogwarts - Harry Potter gingerbread house

Seen at Victoria’s Laurel Point Inn. The houses were part of a display for Habitat for Humanity. Photo thanks to Blake Handley.


19. Rudolph Star Wars Walker gingerbread house

Rudolph Star Wars Walker gingerbread house

Seen at Victoria’s Laurel Point Inn. The houses were part of a display for Habitat for Humanity. Photo thanks to Blake Handley.


20. Lion, Witch & the Wardrobe: 2 sides

Lion Witch and the Wardrobe gingerbread house

Seen at Victoria’s Laurel Point Inn. The houses were part of a display for Habitat for Humanity. Photo thanks to Blake Handley.


21. Sweet gingerbread house

Sweet gingerbread house

Photo thanks to Selena N. B. H.


22. Gingerbread cottage

Gingerbread cottage

Photo thanks to Selena N. B. H.


23. Gingerbread home with brick

Gingerbread home with brick

Photo thanks to Jim Cochran


24. Gingerbread mansion

Gingerbread mansion

Photo thanks to technicolours


25. Gingerbread neighborhood

Gingerbread neighborhood

Photo thanks to technicolours

NOW SEE THIS: Gingerbread man cookies: How did this tragic folklore hero ever become a happy Christmas tradition?

Nancy J Price & Betsy Bailey

Nancy J Price & Betsy Bailey

We're Nancy and Betsy, and we've been adventuring in the digital world since the mid-90s -- truly making us that type of entrepreneurial internet pioneer Gen X is known for! We started Myria.com back in 1998 and later launched SheKnows.com -- among various other online and print projects. Our partnership has spanned decades and crossed state lines (multiple times!). Nancy currently resides Arizona, and Betsy's newest home base is Minnesota. It's been an incredible journey of collaboration and innovation. You can read more about our story here!

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