Gingerbread houses have been a staple in Christmas preparation since their creation in 16th century Germany. Families love getting together to decorate the sugary houses, with more competitive families even turning it into a competition. If that’s your family, you might need some tips on how to make your gingerbread house stand out: here are five ideas to take your gingerbread house decorations to the next level!

1 Golden Grahams cereal for roof tiles

One way to improve your gingerbread house is by adding roof tiles. Golden Grahams are the perfect size and shape for shingles, and they still fit the sugary theme. Frost the roof with a thick layer of icing, then carefully place rows of Golden Grahams across the roof until it is completely covered. If they don’t fit perfectly, you can always break some pieces in half!

2 Powdered sugar for snow

Gingerbread house kits often don’t come with enough icing for proper decorating, leaving you with nothing to use for snow. So, if you need an inventive way to add snow to your house, try powdered sugar! It leaves a nice coating and is thinner and fluffier than icing. Pour some in a strainer and gently spread it over your house.

3 Candy canes to fill in the gaps

Sometimes, gingerbread house kits give you walls that don’t line up perfectly, allowing for a small uneven gap at the corners of the house. One way to solve this problem is with candy canes. Just break off the curved piece and secure it onto the corner of the walls with icing to cover the gaps!

4 Pretzel sticks for a fence

Making a great gingerbread house doesn’t have to be limited to just the house! Another great idea is to make a fence around your base with pretzel sticks. Take mini pretzel sticks and secure them together with icing into a straight row. Repeat this three more times to fit around the perimeter of your base. Then, put icing around your base and secure the fencing on top of it.

5 Marshmallows for snowmen

If you’ve fenced in your yard, you might want to spruce it up. One great way to do this is by adding snowmen. Just take three marshmallows and stick a toothpick through the middle to secure them together. Use icing to stick the snowman to the base and get creative with the face. An Oreo could make a great hat and red licorice would work great for a scarf!

When making your gingerbread houses remember to have fun and be creative. You can easily add fun details with things you have around the house!