Gingerbread houses and holiday candy decorations are not only fun to look at, but they’re also fun to make (as long as you don’t eat all the gumdrop house trimmings). I scoured the Internet to find some little edible houses and colorful candy creations to make with my nieces, and here’s the best of the best. After you make yours, we can compare notes. (Also, you do not need nieces to do the below.)
1. Rock Candy Christmas Tree
If you’re dreaming of a white Christmas, look no further than creating crystalline tree from none other than rock candy. This is one of the most creative candy decorations I found out there, and they were easy to make, too. Of course, you don’t have to limit yourself to white-only trees—you can make bright blue or pink or multi-colored ones, too. Try it for yourself!
2. Gingerbread House
The thing about making a gingerbread house is, there is no right or wrong way. You can put as much — or as little — detail into them as you want. I like this link a lot because it has step-by-step pictures, so there’s no way you can get the house (the base of the whole thing, of course!) wrong. Naturally, there are high-tech gingerbread houses and competitions out there, too, but I’d suggest starting small.
3. Candy Cane Sleighs
This takes Rice Krispie Treats to a whole new level. These are easy to make and also require just a few ingredients: the Rice Krispie treats, candy cane sticks, icing, and ribbon (and you probably already have that on hand!).
4. Gumdrop Garlands
Nothing’s more colorful than these gumdrop garlands (just be sure to buy a big enough bag so you have some to snack on while you string them!). Check out this link for a how-to on what to do.
5. Gumdrop Pops
Save some of those gumdrops from the garland to make these too-cute-to-eat gumdrop pops. Who knew gumdrops were so versatile? If you decide to make a holiday scene, it’s almost like making a snow globe… only, without water. Instead, just add sanding sugar to a jar for “snow” and stand your gumdrop figures up in it. You can find more specifics and ideas here.
6. Ornament Popcorn Ball
This is the most adorable tree ornament ever — if you don’t eat it first! They also make great gifts for grandparents, teachers, you name it. Then, you can use the rest of the popcorn to curl up on the couch with your loved ones and watch your favorite holiday movie!
7. Marshmallow Rudolph
Chocolate-dipped marshmallows and pretzels merge to make these fun Rudolph faces people are sure to love. See the photo how-to here. (If you’d rather go the Rice Krispie Treat route, you can make Rudolph Rice Krispie Treats easily!)
8. Christmas Cracker Houses
These look like gingerbread houses, but are a miniature version of them and made from crackers. Just add some different-colored icing and ribbon, and you have simple, creative ornaments.