I've Always Called It Gingerbread

It was some time ago, among my earliest Christmas memories, really. Each year, gingerbread house-making occupied a prized slot in our busy December calendar. I say "gingerbread", though I have never actually made such a treat. Instead, for the annual candy-encrusted confection, we would use boxes upon boxes of graham crackers. Notwithstanding, I've always called it gingerbread, and will likely continue to do so all the rest of my days.

Rimington Creations 2011

For the Rimington boys, planning for gingerbread houses often started days or weeks in advance. I must have been six years old when the eagerness finally settled into me; old enough to envy John's precision and Justin's sense of scope. John had crafted a superb igloo made, not of graham crackers, but of marshmallows. Justin responded by crafting a large fort or castle.

The Compound, by Delores

So, when I decided to make a castle AND an igloo, I was met by an emphatic, "Come up with your own ideas."

The Temple, by Abigail

Year after year, the creations became more and more elaborate. We seemed to loose sense of the time-honored PURPOSE of gingerbread houses; that is, to pile on as much candy as possible to sustain yourself through the oncoming winter months. Our last chance at candy until the Easter Bunny rears its furry head, and we focused only on doing what we thought hadn't been done--at least at our table--before.

The House, by Lillian

Well, here we are, 2011, and the tradition lives on. With foil wrapped boards in hand, the girls each went to town, standing up four walls and piling on the candy. My vision was of a lighthouse on a craggy precipice, and Delores envisioned a cozy neighborhood. The gingerbread men in Delores's compound started a snowball fight, and I paved the tree-lined path to the lighthouse with the bodies of fallen gummy bears. Abigail's house had two trees and armed guards for a while, but eventually evolved into a temple. Lillian loaded the yard up with candy corns without delay, proving she had a better grasp of the true purpose of gingerbread houses than us all.

The Lighthouse, by Keith

Time to start planning for next year.

Beans

Both of our girls have nick names. Abigail we call Rag Doll (Abigail to Ragapail to Rag Doll). Lillian we call the Bean (Lillian to Lilly Bean to Little Bean to Bean).

Getting out of the van yesterday:

Keith: I'll just hold my hand out for you to take if you want help out. I'm being a gentleman for my princess.

Lillian: I not a princess. I a girl.

Keith: Well, if you want help, here is my hand, my lady.

Lillian: I not a lady. I a girl.

Delores: Are you a Bean?

Lillian: Yeah! I a Bean! I a girl! I a Bean!