Need another fun Christmas time activity? Read below for instructions on how to make a gingerbread house! Christmas Light Pros TN loves the nostalgia that a gingerbread house brings during the holiday season. There are so many different ways to customize a gingerbread house, just like there's endless ways to customize your lighting installation with us! If you're short on time, you can make a gingerbread house using graham crackers and an empty milk carton. If you want to go old school, be ready for some serious baking and prep time! It's a lengthy process, but certainly worth it as you can see from the picture above. To make an old fashioned ginger bread house, first gather all of your tools: a large mixing bowl, rolling pin, piping bag or sandwich bag with one corner cut, pencil, ruler, card stock or manila folder and scissors. Then the ingredients: 3/4 cup butter 7/8 cup packed light brown sugar 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1 1/2 tablespoons molasses 2 eggs 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 tablespoon ground ginger 2 teaspoons ground allspice 6 egg whites 4 (16 oz) packages of sifted confectioners' sugar Take your mixing bowl and cream the butter, molasses, brown sugar, baking powder, ginger, and allspice until smooth. Add the flour to form a stiff dough, and refrigerate until firm. Preheat the oven while you cut out the templates for the house: Front and back of the house- Two 3 by 5 inch rectangles Roof- Two 3 by 5 1/2 inch rectangles Sides of the house - Two pieces 3 inches wide, 3 inches tall to the roof, and slanted to a point 5 1/2 inches from bottom Roof and sides of the entryway- Four small rectangles, 1 1/2 by 1 inch for And one piece, Front of the entryway - 2 inches wide at base, 1 1/2 inches to the roof, and slanted to a peak 2 1/2 inches from the bottom Roll dough out on a large cookie sheet. Place templates over dough and trim shapes. Use a sharp knife to cut around each piece, but do not remove the pieces. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10- 15 min. After baking, use the patterns and knife to clean up the edges. Make sure the dough is hardened before moving. Mix up the icing by combining the powdered sugar, egg whites, and lemon zest. Transfer into piping bag and "draw" on window and doors. Let dry until hard. Also use the icing to "glue" the front, back and sides of the house together. Attach the roof pieces, then the entryway. Finally, use all the yummy decorations to complete your house: coconut flakes, red hots, jelly beans, M&Ms, chocolate kisses, fruit leather, sprinkles, and marshmallows. Looking to light up your holiday season this year with professional lighting installation? Our crew with Christmas Light Pros TN is here to help you realize your dreams of a picture perfect Christmas home. Call us at 615-747-5550 or visit our website at christmaslightprostn.com for more information about what we achieve together!