Step 1
  The first step to making this wonderful treat is buying a kit. You can find a variety of kits at nearly any grocery store in Springfield such as Walmart, Target, or Hy-Vee.  Next, you have to unbox the separate pieces and decorations in your kit. Depending on the kit you purchased, you should have the two walls, the front and back panels, and the roof. A classic set will also come with some white icing and a variety of festive candy and decorations.

Step 2
  Next, you’ll need to put together the base of your house. You do so by carefully applying the white icing to all the sides and using it to ‘glue’ the walls together, piece by piece. You’ll want to hold each section tightly for a few seconds after piping to make sure the icing dries and the pieces stay in place.

Step 3
  After you have the basic structure, I recommend moving on to the roof. There are lots of different ways to decorate this part of the house, but my favorite is the “shingle method.” Pipe the icing in wavy, horizontal lines along the roof panels to make them look like shingles, and then add small candies for a pop of color.

Step 4
  Now, it’s time to decorate the four sides of the gingerbread house. You can use icing and candies to make all kinds of fun decorations. The essentials include a roof, some windows, and of course, a Christmas wreath. This part might seem intimidating, but it’s really quite simple. For the wreath, just place green sprinkles in a circle and finish it off with a red candy as the centerpiece.

Step 5
  Finally, it’s time for the finishing touches—probably the best part! This step is totally up to your own preferences and creativity. You could decorate the lawn with snow, stepping stones, or even a snowman. You can also take it up a notch and sprinkle powdered sugar all over the house to give it a snowy look.

   Now, the last and easiest step—enjoy your beautiful gingerbread house!