CHRISTMAS IS ON

This is the second CHRISTMAS E and I are living together and we have made GINGERBREAD BAKING/TREE DECORATING/CHAMPAGNE DRINKING into one of our annual CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS. In the afternoon yesterday we went to pick up our tree; no jolly Christmas feel on that trip; the rain was POURING and the wind was HOWLING.. but by the time we got the tree in the apartment door it was almost already forgotten. The SMELL the Christmas tree brings into the house is just amazing, it is also a fantastic feeling to have a  tree inside your house. So.. we had made the gingerbread dough the day before and the champagne was cold in the fridge, the painted candy canes had been bought, a Christmas music list had been made .. and soon there were also HOME BAKED ROLLS in the oven, the crappy tree picking up/carrying from earlier felt like a distant memory. Yesterday was also the second time we made a GINGERBREAD HOUSE.. we decided to try a different shape this year as well as as we tried to remember what we had learned making the house last year. What we could recall was that it is a good idea to make the roof a bit longer and higher than the walls so that you have a little extra support when you glue the roof on.. The things we learned this year were;

1. It's smart to cut out the different parts for the house on the actual baking paper/tray. Then they don't go all crazy and crooked on the way from the table to the tray.

2. It is probably a good idea to save the bigger part of the champagne till after you have made the parts for the house. In other words; it is probably smart to start with the house instead of doing it last.. making hearts and putting candy canes on the tree is much easier (when you are a bit tipsy) than planning and making a house.. even if it is just a gingerbread one.

We will decorate the house later today, and I'll post a picture of it when it's done, together with the one from last year ..and then we can try to judge if the new knowledge has brought the house to a new standard;) I have to say I really enjoy figuring out the secrets to how to make a house by doing ..instead of my mom or a smart blog telling me ..so hope I have not spoiled the adventure for any of you:)