Beautiful Ways for Decorating with Gingerbread Houses

Today we wanted to share with you the idea of decorating with gingerbread houses. You can incorporate works of art your loved ones have made or replicas purchased at a home decor store. No matter where your gingerbread house came from, it deserves to be displayed center stage.

Gingerbread houses are a classic look for the holiday season. If you have a family tradition of assembling gingerbread houses each holiday season, then you know the work that goes into each beautiful piece.

Maybe you don't have a baker's thumb but have purchased ceramic or wooden gingerbread houses or you want to DIY a gingerbread house to keep. No matter your choice we have decorating with gingerbread house ideas and a fun budget friendly diy gingerbread house in store.

We can't wait to show you some great ways to put your decorated gingerbread house on display in your home.

Decorating with Gingerbread Houses

There are tons of ways to decorate gingerbread houses! If you're feeling overwhelmed, here are some common questions people ask.

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How Do You Decorate with Gingerbread Houses?

There are so many ways to decorate with gingerbread houses. You can use gingerbread houses to decorate for parties, as centerpieces, around your coffee bar, or on tiered trays.

Whether you use premade houses or like to make your own homemade gingerbread house, prefer classic cottages or grand mansions, you're sure to find an idea you love. So put on some Christmas music and read on for some great ideas and examples.

Where Can I Find Items to Decorate with Gingerbread Houses?

You'll see many ways to decorate with your gingerbread houses, from making your own to decorating with real gingerbread. Here are some of our favorite places to find items to decorate with gingerbread houses.

• Target
• Walmart
• Amazon
• Etsy
• Dollar Tree
• Craft stores

Dollar Store Painted Gingerbread House DIY

Create your own classic gingerbread house with this budget friendly DIY. The best part about this fun idea is that you can make your own little gingerbread houses from simple Dollar Store supplies.

This DIY can be done in 3 simple steps. This is one of the easiest gingerbread house ideas, and it's a good option if you don't want to spend a lot of money on ceramic houses like viral gingerbread house we shared in the Pottery Barn holiday decor 2023 post.

Step 1: Begin by taking a Dollar Store, we used Dollar Tree, village houses or doll houses in the toy section and paint them with acrylic paint with a warm, red undertone, medium shade of tan.

Let the paint dry completely. We used two coats of acrylic paint to cover the house completely.

Step 2: Using a paint marker, begin drawing designs on your houses. A fine-tip white marker works the best. We found a chalk paint marker at Hobby Lobby that comes in a wide tip and a fine tip.

Step 3: Add a spray can of matte clear coat after the paint has dried.

That's all there is to it! You can make your gingerbread houses as ornate or simple as you like. It will be the perfect gingerbread house because you designed it yourself.

You can add gingerbread houses each year for a memorable activity and fun tradition for your whole family. In a few years, your entire house can be a Christmas gingerbread village.

DIY Gingerbread House Candle Holder

Your home will feel warm and cozy with our DIY gingerbread house candle holder idea. All you need is our gingerbread house template, a glass cylinder, paint markers and a candle.

This is a beautiful creation that doesn't take a lot of time. Your gingerbread candle holders will look amazing as part of your centerpiece, on the mantel, or on the coffee table. The possibilities are endless.

This has been one of my favorite things to create this year and the Dollar Store gingerbread houses. Be sure to check out the DIY gingerbread house candle holder post for all my best tips.

Lighted Gingerbread Village DIY

My friend Luci at The White Oak Shop has a fantastic DIY to create your own gingerbread village to decorate in your kitchen or any place in your home that needs some holiday cheer.

You only need a few Dollar Tree playhouses, spray paint, and a paint pen for this festive gingerbread house idea. Using fairy lights to light up your village is the easiest way to create a cozy atmosphere.

This is a fun activity you can do with your own kids to build new holiday memories.

Gingerbread House Decorating Party Decor

Tanja, at Enchanted Parties Montreal, owns a business focused on party-throwing. This party was a gingerbread house decorating party and the decor is breathtaking.

It would be fun to throw a party like this on a beautiful day outdoors. We have lots of outdoor party decoration ideas.

Using gingerbread house cookies and full houses as part of party decor is a brillant idea. You don't only have to be decorating gingerbread to in-cooperate them in your decor.

Consider using them if you are hosting a cookie exchange or a simple gift exchange. Gingerbread houses make beautiful centerpieces.

Gingerbread Houses As A Table Centerpiece

If you have a runner on your dining room table and want the perfect centerpiece, be inspired by Rachel & Jaime's, from The Revelry Co. The colorful winter wonderland that they have created awakens your imagination. This looks like so much fun.

A dessert Christmas party would be a fun way to host with this tablescape.

Exquisite Gingerbread House

If you have the talent that Merja, over at Silverodlan, then your gingerbread house can stand alone as decor on your kitchen countertop.

A snowy wonderland can be captured by sprinkling some powdered sugar on a platter that you set your gingerbread house in the center of.

If you're looking for gingerbread house kits or templates, I found some great options on Etsy to make your own gingerbread creation. Creating your own gingerbread house can be one of your new favorite Christmas traditions.

Adding twinkling lights inside your gingerbread house adds even more glamour, don't you agree? Last year I made a Apple Candle Village that incorporates another twinkle to your home.

Gingerbread Houses Amongst A Coffee Bar

Scattering gingerbread houses throughout your coffee bar that have purchased from your favorite home decor store is a great idea. The neutral colors don't distract from other decor.

Evelyn, from EJN Decor, incorporates her wooden gingerbread house Target dollar spot finds in a great way.

Gingerbread House With Rae Dunn Pieces

Shannon, from The Crazy Krafters, has an adorable Rae Dunn display adorned with gingerbread men, women, and houses.

I love how the smaller houses are added between and on top of other items. The garland and rolling pins are the perfect accessories for this vignette. This is sweet farmhouse decor.

Gingerbread House Cookie In A Glass Jar

Once you've decorated your gingerbread cookies, finding a way to display the uneaten ones is brilliant.

Kelly, from Farm To Table Creations, created this enchanted area with her gingerbread house cookie inside a jar with sugar and bottle brush trees.

This looks as sweet as I bet it smells.

DIY Wooden Gingerbread Houses

One Christmas I made these fun and super cute wooden block gingerbread houses. I have a post you can read here to follow along with my tutorial and create your very own unique wooden gingerbread houses. It's easier than you'd think!

I love how these turned out and they look great just about anywhere. I styled them on the mantel with and minimal garland to create a clean simple look.

A Gingerbread House On A Tiered Tray

I love using tiered trays to give a sturdy base to fun holiday decor.

Wendy, over at Buttermilk Chic By Wendy, assembled this wintery tiered tray and in-cooperated a Rae Dunn inspired gingerbread house. There are so many yummy details on this tray!

Gingerbread People & Homes On A Tray

This display that Annette, from Cherished Treasures, has in her home is perfect to warm a heart at Christmas time. This collection of gingerbread people and homes centered around this tiered tray is pure show-stealing. I love the tiny gingerbread house on the top tray.

The best thing about these gingerbread houses is the fact that they are a DIY project from the white porcelain houses found at the Target dollar spot. They are precious and will keep from year to year.

Conclusion

There are countless ways for decorating with gingerbread houses during Christmas. And did you know you can leave them out past Valentine's day too? Who knew gingerbread house decorations were so versatile?

Here is where we made gingerbread houses out of wood for Valentine's day but since it is Christmas they will be perfect for the holidays too.

We hope to have gotten your wheels starting to turn and can't wait to hear the ideas that you've come up with on your own. Maybe you've even found new favorite holiday traditions. Let us know your great ideas on decorating with gingerbread houses in the comments!

Looking for more Christmas decor inspiration? Check out these posts:

• Crack Open Cheer: Christmas Decorating Ideas with Nutcrackers
• How to Make a Christmas Village Wreath
• 17 Best Christmas Tree Base Ideas For Festive Decor

Happy Decorating!