--- title: "The Gingerbread House: A Misadventure" description: Caitrin Bennett shares a hilariously awful attempt to create the “perfect” Christmas memories with her family.  image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/20241210%20CBennett%201.png --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/the-gingerbread-house-a-misadventure#) [PARENTING](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/parenting) # The Gingerbread House: A Misadventure Dec 10, 2024 10:00:00 AM  |  by [Caitrin Bennett](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/caitrin-bennett) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/20241210%20CBennett%201.png) *Caitrin Bennett shares a hilariously awful attempt to create the “perfect” Christmas memories with her family. * --- ## “Perfect” Christmas Memories  This one is for all the mamas out there trying to make Christmas perfect for the kid. Give yourself some grace! You are doing a great job! And what’s more, on your worst days, you can remember this story, laugh at my hot-mess-mom life, and feel better about yourself in comparison. I am more than happy to help.  So, without further ado, the tragic misadventure of …   ## The Bennett Family Gingerbread House, December 2023  ### Step 1: On a rainy day near Christmas, pull out the gingerbread house kit that’s been at the bottom of your pantry for (at least) a year. Though they won’t eat what you make for dinner, your kids will literally lick up the crumbs of this year-old, heavily preserved gingerbread while you despair over how many pieces key to structural integrity are broken and how much more complicated the directions are than you expected.    ![null](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/20241210%20CBennett%202.png?width=1080&height=1350&name=20241210%20CBennett%202.png)   ### Step 2: Step aside, icing: This is a job for the glue gun. Your husband cuts a few replacements for the non-salvageable pieces out of one of many Amazon boxes piled in the garage since they stopped picking up recycling just in time for holiday shopping.    ![null](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/20241210%20CBennett%206.png?width=1024&height=512&name=20241210%20CBennett%206.png)   ### Step 3: A false sense of hope and security begins to dawn. You start taking pictures so you can share on social media the story of how you took this house from condemned to cute, and all the jolly memories your family made in the process.    ![null](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/20241210%20CBennett%205.png?width=1080&height=1350&name=20241210%20CBennett%205.png)   ### Step 4: Nothing fits. What even is this piece? Your hand slips and you knock loose the only wall that seemed right. The entire thing collapses. OK, maybe only part of it collapses, and you karate chop the rest of it in anger.  ### Step 5: In your rush to throw the whole thing in the trash before your kids try to eat more ancient gingerbread now laced with hot glue, your husband will burn his hand on the glue gun. Many four-letter words are whispered (ok, not always whispered) at the house’s funeral.    ![null](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/20241210%20CBennett%204.png?width=1080&height=1350&name=20241210%20CBennett%204.png)   ### The end. Merry Christmas to all. Please do not gift my family a gingerbread house kit again.    ![null](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/20241210%20CBennett%203.png?width=1080&height=1350&name=20241210%20CBennett%203.png)   Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles. --- Copyright 2024 Caitrin Bennett Images: (top & bottom) Canva; all others copyright 2024 Caitrin Bennett, all rights reserved. [![Free Advent and Christmas Calendars for your Family](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/9f69ab9b-07c6-4bd5-88d5-bc884747044a.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/9f69ab9b-07c6-4bd5-88d5-bc884747044a) ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fthe-gingerbread-house-a-misadventure%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fthe-gingerbread-house-a-misadventure%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fthe-gingerbread-house-a-misadventure%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=The%20Gingerbread%20House%3A%20A%20Misadventure) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fthe-gingerbread-house-a-misadventure%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fthe-gingerbread-house-a-misadventure%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Caitrin Bennett](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Caitrin%20Bennett%20-%20Caitrin%20Bennett.jpg) ### [Caitrin Bennett](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/caitrin-bennett) Caitrin Bennett is a homeschooling mom of 4 young children, and author of the award-winning book [Holier Matrimony: Married Saints, Catholic Vows, and Sacramental Grace](https://www.amazon.com/Holier-Matrimony-Married-Catholic-Sacramental/dp/159614629X/). ## Related Blog Articles [ Showing Up Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/showing-up) [ More Marital Grace, Please! Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/more-marital-grace-please) [ Building "Little T" Family Faith Traditions Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/building-little-t-family-faith-traditions) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! Sign up to receive our free daily digest email. Copyright © 2026 CatholicMom.com. All Rights Reserved.