Tips for Preserving a Gingerbread House

If you've spent hours laboring over every miniature architectural detail of your gingerbread house from the basic construction of the house itself to down to the tiniest little details, odds are you want to keep it around for next year. Gingerbread houses are some of the most fun and fascinating Christmas decorations you can make, however they are quite time consuming and can take a lot of work. By taking some simple steps this year you can preserve your gingerbread house for future holiday celebrations and enjoy your handiwork for a long time to come. Here are some tips on how to go about preserving a gingerbread house.

The very first thing you need to do before tucking away your gingerbread house in storage is to make any necessary repairs. Fix and smooshed frosting, fallen shingles or toppled-over candy until you get it looking just how you want. Remove any items that are loose and not attached to the gingerbread house so they don't rattle around the box and cause any damage while your gingerbread house is in storage. You can store any loose bits or extra decorations from your gingerbread house in a separate box or tuck them away in a plastic bag to use again next year.

Once your gingerbread house is in tip-top shape, you need to let it dry out. Moisture is the thing that causes the most problems with gingerbread houses, so by drying it out first you can help it to last longer. Place it in the warmest, driest room in your home at least overnight. If you have a fireplace with a hearth you can set it off to the side of your fire (obviously beware of fire danger) which will help it to dry more quickly.

Once it is dry and any excess moisture is gone from the gingerbread house you are ready to start preserving it. Purchase a clear lacquer or varnish spray from your local home improvement store. Using a spray rather than a brush-on varnish will help keep you from ruining your gingerbread house with the pressure from a paint brush. Move the gingerbread house to a well ventilated location and tape off or cover with newspaper any areas around the gingerbread house that might catch overspray. Spray a coat of lacquer or varnish over the entire house making sure to get both the inside and the outside of the house coated. Rather than doing one thick coat it is a good idea to do several thin coats to make sure you don't get runs or drips that can ruin the look of your gingerbread house. Once you are done spraying allow the gingerbread house to dry thoroughly.

Locate a sturdy box that is large enough to hold your gingerbread house. Make sure that the sides are strong enough to keep the box from accidentally getting crushed if anything were to get set on top of it. Place your gingerbread house in the box and seal the lid of the box tightly. It is a good idea to seal the box with tape to help prevent as much moisture from the air from getting inside since it can ruin your gingerbread house.

Finally, tuck away the box that is holding gingerbread house in a safe area for storage until next year. Keep in mind that although you can take steps to preserve your gingerbread house, they don't last forever so enjoy it the best you can while it is around. Also, remember that after you varnish your gingerbread house it is no longer edible.