The Gingerbread House Raising

Preparations for housing the delightfully odoriferous gingerbread people were under way. Supplies had been purchased from the baking aisle of the finest purveyor of flours, spices, candies, and molasses. Designs had been extensively debated between the 4-year-old project manager and the 27-year-old financier/contractor/manual laborer. The plans and timetable had been satisfactorily established. Monday, December 3, 2007, would be the day of ingredient mixing, wall decorating and erecting, and left over candy consuming. All but the matriarch, and quite possibly the candy, eagerly awaited the impending sugar high.

The day of joyous industry and succulent smells approached when what should rear it’s bitter green head, but the Grinch of Christmas, the voracious employer. The father of the house would be needed until late on December 3 for pressing work, and since the extra candies would most assuredly be long digested when he returned home it was proclaimed a necessity of most urgent import that construction begin right after church on December 2, 2007, much to the joy and satisfaction of the project manager.

Everything began as planned and soon the smells of gingerbread wafted through the apartment. Noses were lifted to indulge the memories of Christmas past and fabled gingerbread houses of old, while tummies rumbled and tongues drooled at the thought of sugary goodness soon to come.

The work was evenly split, or so it seemed until the project manager discovered she had only decorated one wall and the front of the house while her younger accomplice had plowed through a wall, two roof pieces, a gingerbread man, a snowman, and a Christmas tree, plus any stray construction materials he could get his hands on. An interesting discovery was made while watching the decorating decisions of the little man in question. He ate every white m&m in his bowl and only decorated with the red and green ones. Whether he ate them all because white is his favorite color or he finds the color repugnant and disposed of them rather than use them is still unanswered.

The four walls were raised without incident and left to solidify while the crew attended the rebroadcast of the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. It was much enjoyed by all. The walls were coming along nicely upon their return and were left for the night. Early the next morning the roof was added. Excitement was high and the roof supports were removed prematurely so as to admire the finished product. Within moments the roof began to sag under the weight of excessive ornamentation and quick repairs were made. The house was saved, though its final appearance is neither as grand nor as square. But if you don’t mind a sagging roof on one side then it is a fine little structure. We don’t hear the gingerbread people complaining. Perhaps they are just grateful not to have gone the way of the remnant candy. . .yet.