Family fun is the theme during December in our house. I’m always searching for great Christmas activities we will all enjoy.
This week, I found a winner when we read a Mortimer’s Christmas Manger and created Mortimer inspired gingerbread houses. 
It was so much fun that I turned our activity into a fun family gift basket so another family can make memories! 
If you are looking for a fun family Advent activity, a great Christmas picture book themed activity, or a gift basket idea look no further! For a great family Christmas activity or present, create this DIY Gingerbread house experience gift basket.
My family loves the story, Mortimer’s Christmas Manger by Karma Wilson. It’s the story of a mouse, who takes up residence in a nativity set, until he learns that the baby he removed from the manger is Jesus. After returning baby Jesus to his bed, he prays for a house of his own, and finds a gingerbread house perfect for a mouse.
After reading Mortimer’s Christmas Manger, why not create your own gingerbread house? This year my children and I created easier (and healthier) houses out of Graham Crackers with fruit decorations.
For the gift basket, simply include the book Mortimer’s Christmas Manger, a box of graham crackers, a jar of icing glue mix, and add a few gingerbread house decorations to help get the fun started! 
To make gingerbread house glue use 2 cups of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of meringue powder, and 2-3 tablespoons of water.
This recipe is perfect for gifting. Just pour the powdered sugar and meringue powder in a pint jar and add a gift tag label. On the back of the label write “mix with 2 to 3 tablespoons of water until the icing becomes glue consistency.”
Give the gift of a memorable Advent activity this Christmas!
My children absolutely loved creating their own graham cracker gingerbread houses for Mortimer. I planned on a group effort for Mortimer’s house.
But once the girls sat at the table, it was clear they each had their own ideas. I loved sitting back to watch their creativity and fun! 
One daughter was completely determined to create her house independently- even if it making a triangle meant eating the graham cracker down to the correct size. While another daughter ate more shredded coconut snow than made it to her house.
I’d love to hear your experience making a house for Mortimer! 
Check out other great #HoneyMaidHouse ideas here.
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HoneyMaidHouse #CollectiveBias
I would love to build a “gingerbread” house out of graham crackers with my kids. Fun!
what a fabulous way to share some fun with family and friends. This would be the perfect gift for a teacher or daycare.
What a fun idea for an advent calendar activity! I have never heard of the Mortimer story, but I bet my son would love this book. [client]
Oh my goodness. This is one of the cutest gifts I’ve ever seen! My nieces and nephews are all teens+, but I hope I can remember it for when my own kids have kids. 🙂
Love this idea & what a great way to share in the fun.
I love giving and receiving gift baskets so this one is on my list for sure now.
What a sweet idea (pun intended!). This would be way yummier to eat than the gingerbread houses!!
That is a fun and unique gift basket! Making ginger bread houses is so fun – no matter what age! I like the idea of keeping them simple with Honeymaid Graham Crackers!
This little basket is such a great idea! We don’t have this book but I know my daughter would enjoy it and love creating a house for Mortimer!
My little cousins would love to make their own Honey Maid house. The shredded coconut is a great addition. And this will make a delicious treat.
I totally love the gingerbread basket! And I am stealing your brilliant idea of using fruit for decorating!!! Yay for less sugar!
Oh those houses are adorable! I love the gift basket idea. The fruit and coconut work so well!
I love that you used coconut, berries, and fruit! It’s such a healthier option that all that candy coated sweetness!
What a cute basket idea. And Yum!! To the houses. That is good family fun.
I like the idea of a gift basket to make gingerbread houses. It is a good idea to use the cookies because they are stable and easy to manipulate.
This is adorable. I am totally going to make this and send it to my moms so her and the grandkids can have a fun craft day
I love the idea of giving a Gingerbread house kit in a basket as a gift! We decorate gingerbread houses every year.
Love this idea. I would do a gift basket like this for my kids teachers!
What a great project this would be to do with the kiddos this weekend. Yours turned out so cute!
Cool idea….and it look like it is easy to do with the kids. Thanks for sharing