Maxwell Christmas 2011

[Mokek Kwe]

and don't you dare ask for the recipes or how-tos.... they might go in a future book.

[CanadianHippie]

Please, please tell me I was not the only one snickering at "back door for deliveries"

Nope. I'd have made that very comment if you hadn't.

[alaeangelorum]

Actually, I think their ginger village is super impressive! It's not that easy to get gingerbread to stand up like that...so yeah, I'm impressed! I think it's the most whimsical and dare I say it, *fun* thing I've seen the Maxwells do, ever.

Um, also, as an adult, I've been to a couple ginger bread house parties. Granted there's a lot of booze involved, but still, it's pretty fun!

I really like it too :oops:

I could quite easily foresee, as an adult, having a gingerbread house party, and depending on the group of friends it is quite possible there'd be no alcohol. Of all the things the Maxwells do I don't think this is particularly sad/dull/boring/age-inappropriate.

[muffynbear]

The Maxwells are making their blog an idol.

[Milly-Molly-Mandy]

Notice how ugly the church is

Notice how they are making idols of the Jingerbread village.

Notice how much they are showing off.

[donks]

We did Jingerbread haunted houses last year for Halloween. It was fun. I didn't feel compelled to blog about it or take a million pictures.

Fun fact: horses LOVE stale Jingerbred houses with candy!

[jlbturtle]

FYI, the Hancock Building and the Sears/Willis tower are 2 separate buildings in Chicago. The Hancock building is shorter and closer to the lake.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

FYI, the Hancock Building and the Sears/Willis tower are 2 separate buildings in Chicago. The Hancock building is shorter and closer to the lake.

And way cooler looking... (yeah I can't believe I'm a nerd for a building).

They really need to put the struts on with licorice though. Black thread licorice, it would be perfect!! :D

[Peas n carrots]

A response in the comments says this: "John Hancock building in Chicago. Built to scale. You might call it a “modern†entry. I suppose the people in Gingerville needed some office space.

Steve"

Preeeetty sure they mean the Sears Tower. Which is now the Willis Tower, I guess. The google machine tells me that the building is a part of the John Hancock Center -now, I'm not from the area, but I'm almost positive that no one from Chicago or the surrounding area calls it the John Hancock building. There is a John Hancock building in Boston, though.

I'm guessing they latched onto that version of the name because it sounds more American.

Edit for a tag.

Chicago dweller here...it looks like neither Willis Tower or Hancock. I think they were aiming at Hancock, but the shape of hancock is that it is wider at the base and tapers towards the top, but that might be kind of hard to engineer in gingerbread. They could have done the Aon Building, and they wouldn't have needed to dye the buttercream. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aon_Center_(Chicago) But I'll give them props for doing something different.

Btw...they totally phoned it in on the church. You think that that would be the most meticulous one of all. Otherwise, I think they're all pretty cool, and I especially like the gingerbread store with the candy fruit. To me it looks like maybe the little ones did the zoo?

ETA add'l info

[clibbyjo]

Yep,I am going with Abby and Mary on the zoo. Cottage and store are the best. I am thinking those pretzel logs would take forever so Sarah and Anna did those? Steve and Teri probably both did the boring church, because Steve decided that was the one they were doing and being a good helpmeet she hoped he would add a little decoration to the outside. Since he didn't God must have told him how much to add so Teri knows its perfect.The boys did the tower with really doesn't look finished.

The elderly cannot have that candy with all their diabetes and various diets I am sure. I am sure they will donate it somewhere, because everyone wants a used gingerbread village after the holidays.

[FJismyheadship]

They'll sell it to the highest bidder.

[lilwriter85]

I think the best ones were the Victorian cottage and the Mayor's House. The rest were ok and the church looks really weird.

[Mommy22alyns]

The store and the mayor's house are cute. The church is too plain and the zoo looks like the candy aisle threw up on it.

[lilwriter85]

The store and the mayor's house are cute. The church is too plain and the zoo looks like the candy aisle threw up on it.

This. I thought that was the worst one.

[Hane]

Am in Australia visiting for Christmas and I thank all you FJers for helping me get into the Xmas spirit!!

A little off-topic: I was just listening to NPR and heard a sweet contemporary Australian Christmas song--I think the title was "Sunshine and White Wine"--about an Aussie emigre missing the warm, sunny Christmases with his family down under.

[Witsec7]

A little off-topic: I was just listening to NPR and heard a sweet contemporary Australian Christmas song--I think the title was "Sunshine and White Wine"--about an Aussie emigre missing the warm, sunny Christmases with his family down under.

It was a wonderful song!!

[bbfreethinker]

You know, I'm quite disappointed in the Maxwells. They had way too much fun making that jingerbread village. Maybe they could add some jingerbread billboards with bible verses about death on them to redeem themselves.

Also I want to see a jingerbread Uriah.

Also, can we add "jingerbread" to our dictionary so it doesn't get tagged as misspelled?

[johnhugh]

Hmmmm I would have thought a jinger home for the elderly should have been made.

[Marian the Librarian]

Steve's response to a commenter's jingerhouse construction question:

"Very, very stiff icing that sets up quick holds like super glue. Also, the gingerbread has to be baked rock-solid (reminds me of faith in the Lord Jesus. Our life is completely safe in Him)."

Steve

:roll:

[skankbiscuit]

Eh, maybe it's because it's Christmas Eve, and my cold, dead heart has thawed out a bit...but I think they are cute. I'm glad they had fun.

[holierthanyou]

Next year I propose FJers make a collective jingerbread blog where we can each make one jingerbread house in a particular Duggar family member's honour.

[ladypuglover]

Next year I propose FJers make a collective jingerbread blog where we can each make one jingerbread house in a particular Duggar family member's honour.

I would do it if you remind me.

[skankbiscuit]

I would do it if you remind me.

I would love to see a replica of the Tinker-Toy house.

[NurseNell]

A little off-topic: I was just listening to NPR and heard a sweet contemporary Australian Christmas song--I think the title was "Sunshine and White Wine"--about an Aussie emigre missing the warm, sunny Christmases with his family down under.

Is this it?

fCNvZqpa-7Q

edited several times to try and get the you tube to show up, I give up.

[Mommy22alyns]

Steve's response to a commenter's jingerhouse construction question:

"Very, very stiff icing that sets up quick holds like super glue. Also, the gingerbread has to be baked rock-solid (reminds me of faith in the Lord Jesus. Our life is completely safe in Him)."

Steve

:roll:

Well of course. Heaven forbid anything be purely for (shh) f-u-n.