Bethlehem - "House of Bread"

Bethlehem means “house of bread” – and the baking of special breads during this season centuries ago were in honor of Bethlehem. Specifically “gingerbread” became a special treat at the Christmas season in Germany. The tiny houses made from gingerbread were originally made to remind them of the birth of the Savior in Bethlehem. Now gingerbread houses have just become part of the “season.”


I suggest that you have fun and make gingerbread stables for your kids and allow them to be creative in making the manger scene – this is a great activity if they have 4 sheets of gingerbread – one long one for the back of the stable, 2 short ones for the sides, and a larger one for the roof. You can buy premade gingerbread cookie dough and roll it out and make a pattern to trace around it before you bake it. Follow directions for baking. Once it has cooled – all they need is a can of frosting, some coconut (add yellow food coloring to make hay), pretzels, marshmallows, all kinds of candy to decorate with – and you will be amazed at the mangers, marshmallow sheep and other animals that your kids can make – and if you don’t have time to make gingerbread – let them use graham crackers to build with! You can use cookie cutters to make animals out of the gingerbread – or just plain sugar cookie dough (you can buy it pre-made if you don’t have time). Just have fun – make it as big as you want – you don’t have to be fancy to have fun.