One of the longtime traditions of the holiday season is the building of gingerbread houses.  A gingerbread house can be a beautiful addition to a household Christmas display.  But, it takes skill and patience to get the job done.   

I traveled to the ExpERIEnce Children's Museum in downtown Erie to watch kids and their parents try to build gingerbread houses. I find it amazing that people would even attempt to take on such a project, but a roomful of children and adults were excited to give it a try.   It's a curious tradition.  People trying to weld several hard sections of gingerbread together using messy icing as glue.  The ingredients could collapse into a pile.  However, the families at the museum believe they can do it. 

God help them.

"Even if it turns out into a mound of gingerbread and icing, you still have fun along the way,” said Olivia Wickline, the Events and Marketing Coordinator at the museum.  

I'm expecting some ugly, messy creations...even if the houses remain intact.  However, it looks like the families are doing okay.  I'm impressed. It looks like all of the gingerbread houses are firmly holding together.  It came time to place little candy decorations on the structures to make them look really nice. They look wonderful.  The finished gingerbread houses will be beautiful Christmas decorations and Christmas memories for all of the families…including the Aornetz family.

"It was a little intimidating at first. It did fall apart one time.  But we got together and it seems to be holding together good now,” said Brian Aornetz.  

After watching these families, my fears of building a gingerbread house for Christmas have gone away. It really does look easy.

The ExpERIEnce Children's Museum will be holding a 'Santa Experience' this coming Saturday.  It will be a big holiday party including pictures with Santa.

On New Year's Eve, daytime parties will be held so children can celebrate the New Year.  Just like the ball dropping on Times Square, there will be balloons dropping inside the museum.  Families can register on the museum’s web site.