Now that the holidays are here, you’re getting busy. It would help to have your parents and kids find ways to interact and enjoy the time they spend together. While they’re busy, you can focus on the items on your to-do list.
December 12th is Gingerbread House Day. While no one is certain who started this national day, the creation of these elaborate houses dates back to Germany in the 1700s. The creation of a gingerbread house is an ideal for families to work on together. It’s a great project for grandchildren and grandparents. How do you get started?
Make the Gingerbread
You can purchase a gingerbread house kit if you’d like. Otherwise, look on the internet for a recipe for gingerbread that can be used to form a house. You want gingerbread that is firm enough to support the icing, candies, and roofing material.
To cut the gingerbread, use templates you print out online and glue them onto cardboard. Cover that in plastic film or wax paper. You’ll use these to cut the dough into the right shapes before baking. While still warm, trim any uneven edges.
Make Icing
Make the royal icing that acts like the glue to hold the walls and roof together. The royal icing is made from egg whites and powdered sugar. You cant to mix five cups of powdered sugar with four egg whites and whip until smooth and thick with stiff peaks.
When it’s thick and forms stiff peaks, use a piping bag or freezer bag to pipe lines of the icing down each side of the wall. Use glasses to support the wall structures until they’re dry. Add more royal icing if more “glue” is needed.
Once the walls are set, add the roof. You’ll follow the same technique using the royal icing as glue. Hold the roof in place until it’s secure. Let it dry for an hour.
Decorate the Structure
Using the remaining royal icing, candies, chocolate chips, and other edibles, decorate the roof, walls, windows, and doors. If you have the gingerbread house set on a larger board, create the pathway and outdoor landscaping. Kids love to do the decorative work, so your parents could sit back and watch after the walls and roof are set.
Who Supports Your Parents When the Holidays End?
When you’re not with your parents for the holidays, who helps them with daily activities? Don’t let them struggle to do the shopping, keep the home clean, and ensure there are clean clothes. Hire a home care aide to help out.
With home care services, your parents have the support they need to live independently. They have a caregiver to help with laundry, prepare meals, and assist with personal care. Call a home care expert to schedule services.
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Moraga, CA, please contact the caring staff at Provident Care Home Care today at (209) 578-1210.
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