Gingerbread Houses + Laser Guns

Christmas Eve has consistently been one of my favorite days of the year.  People are still shuffling around getting their last minute shopping done, and although busy, the city streets aren't clogged with the usual downtown commuters.  Early in the morning we went for a walk in the chilly weather for coffee and pastries.  Then C and I split up - he took DD and I took BB to run separate errands.  BB and I went to buy dessert for after dinner, one more string of white fairy lights, and lunch provisions.  Then a quick stop into our neighborhood favorite Japanese store Ginza yielded these laser guns, an early stocking stuffer I guess.

While lunch was cooking, I quickly whipped up a batch of sugar icing and put together a gingerbread house structure using graham crackers.  I love this method - easier than baking and cutting your own gingerbread and more satisfying than buying a pre-made kit.  Once the icing dried and everything was holding properly, the boys and I set to decorating.  DD did a terrific job carefully placing all of his candy and BB directed me in what else he wanted to see (e.g., a separate garage).  Probably about a quarter of the candy went into little bellies but a great tip I've learned over the years is to do gingerbread house decorating after a meal.  It slows down the candy intake.  A final sprinkle of confectioner's sugar as snow and we were done.  This served as the centerpiece for our Christmas Eve dinner.