I’ve been trolling pinterest for more holiday ideas for the kids.

Because I like to torture myself.

I like to come up with elaborate, labor intensive ways to create enchanted childhood memories for those whining, screaming, argumentative, unappreciative little monsters.

This is why I started the Hanukkah Bears, eight nights of my own Jewish version of Elf on a Shelf. It’s why the Tooth Fairy doesn’t just leave money but a scavenger hunt to find the money. It’s why I painstakingly keep a blog, a monthly picture depot on facebook (see above pull down ‘monthly photos’ menu) and a monthly video on youtube (see above ‘monthly videos’).

I’m sure they will remember me as an annoying, paparazzi crazed Jolly Hockey Sticks but I can’t help it.

And it is also how I found myself, after seeing the price tag on 4 gingerbread kits for the kids, committing to a three day complicated and detailed baking and construction project.

Luckily I stumbled upon a shortcut on pinterest. No baking required.

Instead of baking my own house, I used graham crackers!

It was so easy. I have to share it with you all so you too can become an annoying, paparazzi crazed Jolly Hockey Sticks just like me.

Start by taking some old cardboard from all those Amazon boxes you normally throw away and covering them in tin foil.

Then, cut two graham crackers with triangle tops like this…

If they crack don’t worry. You can glue them together with icing and no one will even know the difference.

You’ll need 6 pieces total for the house.

Then just glue the pieces together with icing. You can use store bought stuff or find a recipe for Royal Icing, which I did. It was like cement!

I also put some on the tin foil to glue the house down for easy decorating.

Finally toppings. Lots of toppings!

I even managed to find chocolate Maccabees and Hanukkah shaped cookies.

Then step back and let genius ensue.

Sometimes genius is very neat…

And sometimes it likes to lick the work of art.

But no matter what the process, the outcome is all the same, another special memory in the bag. May my little monsters’ cups runneth over…