Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
Christmas Party #1: Gingerbread House Decorating Party
82
items Throw this party on December 1st as part of "31 Days of Christmas Parties. Invite five or six ladies (or two or three couples) over to a grownup gingerbread house and gingerbread people cookies decorating cocktail party. Or alternately, invite two or...
Sections
9
Festive Party Food to Serve at Your Gingerbread House Party
Festive Cocktails and Beverages for A Gingerbread House Decorating Party
Christmas Gingerbread House Party Decor and Tablewares
Gingerbread House Kits, Recipes, Baking Pans and Supplies
Gingerbread Decorating Frostings and Supplies
Gingerbread House Themed Party Costumes
Festive Party Food to Serve at Your Gingerbread House Party
Here are appetizers, main dishes and desserts you can serve your guests at your party. Your guests will get really hungry while they're smelling delicious gingerbread and working with frostings and sugary candies. Feed them a nice cozy hot meal first...
These caramelized onion, mushroom and gruyere cheese tartlets from Brown Eyed Baker are a nice easy party finger food to serve your guests while they wait to decorate their gingerbread houses.
Caramelized Onion, Mushroom & Gruyere Tartlets
I like this Apple Blue Cheese Crostini appetizer recipe from The Reluctant Entertainer because it doesn't scream "Christmas." For a party held just after Thanksgiving, right as December begins, these are nice late-autumn flavors and still feel festiv...
Apple Blue Cheese Crostini Appetizer
Here's a festive and tangy cranberry feta pinwheels recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything. These might be a little messy as they're a bit big to be finger food, so just have plenty of napkins nearby.
Cranberry and Feta Pinwheels (+VIDEO)- The Girl Who Ate Everything
These gingerbread men gingersnap cookies are tasty. They're a bit brittle, so hard to decorate, but you could definitely add some white piping to them to make a cookie tray look more festive.
Nyakers Holiday Gingerbread Men Gingersnaps
If you have time the morning of your party, bake some gingerbread scones to serve your guests. I love that they come with a lemon glaze to add a nice tart flavor.
Sticky Fingers Gingerbread With Lemon Glaze Scone Mix
If you have someone helping you throw your party, perhaps you might have time to make these gingerbread caramel pear empanadas. Of course, they'll taste better if you can serve them immediately out of the air fryer or oven. The recipe is from the Pre...
Gingerbread Caramel Pear Empanadas - Presley's Pantry
Here is an elegantly decorated no-bake gingerbread cheesecake you could serve at the end of your evening. It goes well with a hot cup of tea or coffee.
No Bake Gingerbread Cheesecake - Bakers Table
Here's a recipe for mini gingerbread cakes that you can make in mini Bundt pans. This way each guest gets a nice small dessert of five or six bites so it isn't too overwhelming.
Mini Gingerbread Cake Recipe
Here's a recipe for gourmet gingerbread cupcakes for adults. It's from the Sugar Spun Run blog.
Gingerbread Cupcakes Recipe
This recipe for Spiced Gingerbread Bars is from the Yellow Bliss Road blog. The bars have a LOT of frosting on top, plus festive sprinkles.
Spiced Gingerbread Cookie Bars
These elegant finger food brie tartlets are perfect for a Christmas cocktail party or get-together. They're from the Sunday Table blog.
5-Ingredient Cranberry Brie Tartlets • Sunday Table
Festive Cocktails and Beverages for A Gingerbread House Decorating Party
You can use this Torani gingerbread syrup to make festive Christmas coffee drinks, add to hot cocoa, make snow cones if you really want to, or to drizzle over ice cream or desserts.
Torani Gingerbread Syrup
As your guests come in from the cold and are removing their coats, offer them a steaming hot mug of Gingerbread tea from The Republic of Tea.
The Republic of Tea Hallmark Channel Gingerbread Tea 36 Count
Add these gingerbread Mug Buddies to your guests' mugs of hot cocoa, tea or coffee at your gingerbread house party.
Wicklein Mug Buddies Glazed Gingerbread Cookies
For your guests who don't enjoy cocktails or coffee, here's a delicious Gingerbread Joy black tea from Twinings you can serve them. It does have caffeine.
Twinings Gingerbread Joy Tea 20 Count
If you're up to making your own gourmet gingerbread hot chocolate for your party, here's a recipe from the Cravings of a Lunatic blog.
Gingerbread Hot Chocolate Recipe
Here's a gingerbread martini recipe from the I Am Baker blog. Sprinkle gingerbread sugar on top of a dollop of whipped cream for a showstopper look to the cocktail.
Gingerbread Martini Recipe
Here is a nice gingerbread spice herbal tea you can serve guests at the end of the evening before they depart. It's by Celestial Seasonings.
Gingerbread Spice
If it's an especially cold or snowy night during your party, serve your guests a warming gingerbread hot toddy drink. You can leave out the bourbon or whiskey for any guests who don't drink alcohol.
Gingerbread Hot Toddy Recipe
Christmas Gingerbread House Party Decor and Tablewares
If you throw over-the-top parties and have the budget for it, consider putting up some gingerbread house themed airblown inflatables on your front lawn to greet guests as they drive up. Your home might not be decorated for Christmas quite yet, since ...
Here are World Market's gingerbread themed kitchen apron and potholder.
Gingerbread Stripe Embroidered Kitchen Linen Collection
Toss this adorable gingerbread man shaped throw pillow on your couch before the party. Or if you have a decorated porch, sit this gingerbread man pillow on one of your porch chairs or rocking chairs so when guests arrive at your house they are immedi...
Brown Boucle Gingerbread Man Shaped Throw Pillow
These gingerbread man Christmas party napkins are from Bonjour Fete. They're large square dinner napkins.
Bonjour Fête Pink Gingerbread Large Napkins, 20 Pack
These figural gingerbread man napkins might be best used at a children's gingerbread house decorating party rather than at a Christmas cocktail party for adults.
C.R. Gibson Holiday Gingerbread Napkins, 20ct
These gingerbread man dinner napkins are cute for a children's party, but perhaps too childish for an adult cocktail party. They're by C.R. Gibson and they feature a gingerbread man and candy canes.
C.R. Gibson Holiday Gingerbread Dinner Napkins, 16 Count
For this gingerbread house decorating party, it might be fun to have Mrs. Meyers' gingerbread scented hand soap in your kitchen and in your guest bathroom. It smells so warm and soft and lovely!
Mrs. MEYER'S Gingerbread Liquid Hand Soap 12.5oz
When you're tidying up and doing the dishes after your party (there are always a few things that can't go in the dishwasher), you can keep the festive mood going with Mrs. Meyers gingerbread scented dish soap. It gets my dishes clean and shiny too!
Mrs. MEYER'S Gingerbread Dish Soap 16oz
Serve your guests their appetizers on this wooden cottage figural serving board. Leave some room so parts of the cute design show!
Whitewash Wood Winter Cottage Figural Serving Board
If you're throwing a gingerbread house decorating party for children, here's a cute and sturdy paper cup they can use. The handle is a paper gingerbread person.
Gingerbread Handled Paper Cup
Serve your party appetizers, snacks or desserts on this sturdy gingerbread house 9" figural paper plate.
Gingerbread House 9" Plate
Here's a figural gingerbread house tray made from bamboo. You can put it in the dishwasher, but not in the microwave. Use it for serving snacks or appetizers at your Christmas party.
Gingerbread House Bamboo Tray
This festive Christmas snow globe paper plate features three gaily decorated gingerbread houses. This would be cute to serve cake on at your party.
Snow Globe Shaped Plate
These Christmas paper party plates feature gingerbread houses with icing, candy and a wreath on the front door. Perfect for your gingerbread house decorating party!
Gingerbread House Shaped Paper Plate
You can use these tall figural gingerbread house paper napkins either as dinner napkins, or as guest towels in your guest bathroom for people to use to dry their hands.
Gingerbread Tall House Dinner Napkin
You can serve party foods on this gingerbread mansion bamboo tray, and use it again next holiday season.
Gingerbread Mansion Bamboo Tray
Set a festive table for your party with this brown and white gingerbread house table runner from My Mind's Eye. It's a paper table runner, so you can discard it when the party is over.
Gingerbread House Table Runner
Here are adorable paper gingerbread house gable shaped treat boxes you can use to send your guests home with desserts or candies. (The gingerbread houses they'll be decorating won't fit inside these boxes).
Gingerbread House Gable Treat Boxes
This adorable set of paper plates features a gingerbread house dripping with candies and icing. Use it to serve desserts or goodies at your party.
Gingerbread House Shaped Plate
If your gingerbread themed party is a children's party, here is a cute small gingerbread man plates set you can use to serve the kids' treats.
Gingerbread Man Shaped Paper Plate
Here's an elegant set of brown and white gingerbread house shaped paper plates you can use to serve adults at your Christmas cocktail party or gingerbread house decorating party. They're from the My Mind's Eye company.
Gingerbread House Shaped Paper Plate
This set of gingerbread paper plates has colorful scalloped edges.
Ginger Pattern Paper Plate
This set of "Sweet Gingerbread House" figural shaped paper plates is from My Mind's Eye. The plate is accentuated with metallic copper colors.
Sweet Gingerbread House Shaped Plate
This melamine gingerbread house serving tray can go in the dishwasher, but not in the microwave. Use it to serve festive snacks and treats at your gingerbread house Christmas theme party.
Gingerbread House Shaped Melamine Tray
Use these gingerbread man baking cups to bake cupcakes, or to hold the candies your guests will use to decorate their gingerbread houses.
Gold Foil Gingerbread Man 5 oz Baking Cups
These Christmas party plates feature gingerbread men and gingerbread houses. The edges of the plates are scalloped.
Whimsy Gingerbread Pattern 10" Plate
For a children's gingerbread house party, use these paper gingerbread train shaped plates to serve their snacks or meals.
Gingerbread Train Shaped Plate
Here are gingerbread man and gingerbread house dinner napkins from My Mind's Eye. You can also use them in your guest bathroom as guest hand towels.
Whimsy Gingerbread Dinner Napkin
Should you be hosting a pink and white themed gingerbread house party, here are a darling set of festive paper plates you can use to serve treats or desserts.
Pink Gingerbread House Shaped Guest Napkin
If your guests aren't gingerbreaded out, serve a figural gingerbread house cake you baked yourself earlier. This requires a Nordic Ware house-shaped baking pan.
Gingerbread House Cake (Using Gingerbread House Duet Pan)
Here's another cute gingerbread themed pillow to toss on your sofa before the party. It's a gingerbread house shaped throw pillow, with a candy cane bow wreath over the front door.
Brown Gingerbread House Shaped Throw Pillow
Serve your guests their hot beverages in this darling figural gingerbread house mug from World Market. Love the candy bulbs around the red front door - so cute!
Multicolor Gingerbread House Hand Painted Figural Ceramic Mug
Add a festive touch to your Christmas gingerbread theme party by putting this gingerbread cottage coir mat on your doorstep! It's from World Market.
Red and Green Holiday Gingerbread Cottage Coir Doormat - World Market
Here's a cute gingerbread house serving platter you could use to serve cheese and crackers, or desserts at your Christmas party. It's from World Market.
Gingerbread House Hand Painted Figural Serving Platter
Gingerbread House Kits, Recipes, Baking Pans and Supplies
These pre-built gingerbread houses from Create-a-Treat definitely make your party easier since you don't have to bake a cake. I'd recommend these for an elegant party with adult guests.
Create-A-Treat Holiday House Pre Built Gingerbread Kit
In case you want to bake gingerbread people cookies for your party, here's a gingerbread man cookie cutter and embosser.
Cookie Cutter Hub Gingerbread Man Cutter & Embosser
If you have time to bake gingerbread mug hugger cookies ahead of your party, here's the cookie cutter you'll need.
Gingerbread House Hugger Mug Cookie Cutter
If you have time ahead of your party, you can bake your own gingerbread man mug huggers with this cookie cutter.
Gingerbread Man Mug Hanging Cookie Cutter
Should you and your guests want to bake your gingerbread houses from scratch, here's the recipe and tutorial you'll need.
Gingerbread House
Should you and your party guests want to bake their own gingerbread cookies from scratch, here's a helpful recipe from my favorite blogger, Haniela.
Gingerbread Cookies
Here is another great gingerbread house recipe from the Haniela's blog. You might be hosting a party where all of your guests bake the houses together, or you might pre-bake them so they are ready to decorate.
Edible Gingerbread House - Haniela's
If your party is for small children, consider having them build and decorate graham cracker gingerbread style houses instead of baked gingerbread. The crackers may be a bit easier and less messy to work with (although they're breakable).
Graham Cracker Houses - Fountain Avenue Kitchen
If your party involves baking and decorating a mini gingerbread village, here's the Nordic Ware Gingerbread House village Bundt pan you'll need.
Nordic Ware Cozy Village Gingerbread House
Gingerbread Decorating Frostings and Supplies
Here are gingerbread house paper baking cups you can use for cupcakes for your party.
Pink Gingerbread House 5 oz Baking Cups
Here are jumbo oversized food cups you can use to display the candies and sprinkles your guests will use to decorate their gingerbread houses.
Gingerbread Jumbo Food Cups
This Christmas jimmies mix includes gingerbread people. You might use it to decorate a gingerbread house shaped cake or sprinkle on top of frosted gingerbread cupcakes.
Christmas Sprinkles | Jimmies | Cookie
Gingerbread House Themed Party Costumes
Will you encourage your party guests to come in gingerbread themed costumes? Costumes aren't appropriate for all types of parties. If you plan on hosting an elegant gingerbread decorating party, forego the costumes. But for a more whimsical or lighth...
Should anyone want to dress up as a gingerbread person for your party, here's the Rubies unisex gingerbread person costume for adults. It includes the jumpsuit and headdress.
Rubies Gingerbread Man Costume Adults Unisex
If it's really cold where you live, your guests might enjoy wearing this knitted gingerbread house beanie hat to your party!
Fun Costumes Gingerbread House Winter Hat
Perhaps your guests might like to wear this glitzy, whimsical gingerbread headband to your Christmas party! It's one size fits all.
Beleki Christmas Gingerbread Glitter Headband
Here's a gingerbread man headband, should you or your guests want to wear some festive attire to your Christmas theme party.
COOLHOOD Christmas Santa & Gingerbread Headband
Gingerbread House Party Fragrances and Candles
Scent your home with a warm gingerbread smell - but don't overdo it! I probably wouldn't shake a can of gingerbread Febreze around the house before guests arrive - it might be too overwhelming. But I'd light a gingerbread candle in 2 or 3 rooms we'll...
Here's the perfect candle for your gingerbread house party. It's scented with orange, lemon, ginger, eucalyptus, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, and caramel.
Sweet Water Decor Gingerbread & Spice Candle
This Christmas gingerbread candle from M&Sense comes in a festive brown and copper colored votive. It's a larger candle and can burn up to 55 hours long if you keep the wick trimmed properly. It's scented with caramel and cinnamon.
M&SENSE Gingerbread Christmas Candle 9.9oz
Here is Candle-Lite's Gingerbread Latte jar candle. It has three wicks. It's going to be a pretty strong scent, so perhaps blow it out halfway through your party.
Candle-Lite Gingerbread Latte 14oz 3-Wick Candle
Here is a cute and festive gingerbread jar candle, "Ginger Snap." I love that it comes with a gold colored metal lid you can use to snuff the candle when you've had enough of the fragrance for the evening.
Gingerbread Christmas Candle - Large 3 Wicks
This large luxe candle is from Voluspa. It's their "Gingerbread Chalet" scent, fragranced with sugar-dusted ginger, cinnamon sticks, crushed clove and tonka bean.
Gingerbread Chalet - Large Jar Candle
Here is Yankee Candle's Frosty Gingerbread jar candle. It's scented with cinnamon, vanilla, clove, and ginger.
Yankee Candle Frosty Gingerbread Scented 22oz
Christmas Music for Your Gingerbread House Party
Here's Dean Martin's 1959 song "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm." I feel like it is such a perfect cozy song to welcome people to your home.
DEAN MARTIN - I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm (1959)
Buy an MP3 copy of "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" from Dean Martin's "Dino's Christmas" album.
Play Dino's Christmas by Dean Martin
Here's a perky and cheerful version of "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" by midcentury singer Kay Starr.
I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
Here's Frank Sinatra's recording of "Mistletoe and Holly" from the official Frank Sinatra YouTube channel.
Frank Sinatra - Mistletoe And Holly (Official Video)
Books for Planning a Gingerbread House Party
This gingerbread book by Allen D. Bragdon features 54 gingerbread projects, with over 117 full size patterns you can reproduce. Bake and decorate your own unique gingerbread house.
The Gingerbread Book: 54 Cookie-Construction Projects & 117 Patterns
This gingerbread book is from 2011, but it isn't outdated! I always enjoy Annie Rigg's cookbooks. This one features simple, cute, festive and achievable gingerbread house patterns.
Decorated Gingerbread by Annie Rigg (2011)
Here's a darker take on gingerbread houses from goth cookbook author Helena Garcia. The projects in here are really creative!
The Gingerbread Book: 50 Spiced Bakes & More
This cookbook by Mima Sinclair has really cool and unique gingerbread house cakes and house patterns. The glass pressed cookies recipe is also really cool.
Gingerbread Wonderland Cookbook