The end result looks good enough to eat!

The kids are keen to make a gingerbread house, and so am I. 

However, I was feeling overwhelmed by the preparation process. So I thought I’d buy an idiot proof gingerbread biscuit mix, and although I know they exist, that particular product has been elusive.

Not one to readily give in to defeat, I was resolved to think up an alternative gingerbread house medium. My solution was to construct a paper crafted gingerbread house.

I present to you a small, workable template. It's sized so you can use one full square of cardstock for a single house with some leftovers for making bonus gingerbread-like features (people, fence, etc).

The kids (and the adults) can all construct and decorate their own little house, creating a sweet little gingerbread village to go under the tree or on a mantelpiece.

Reasons to construct a paper craft gingerbread house – It takes less time to construct than its baked cousin. It’s non-perishable and can be stored with other Christmas decorations for future use.

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• Square cardstock sheet – brown• Pencil• Puffy paint• Scissors• Ruler • Hot glue gun• Christmas themed buttons, beads or stickers

Print out the template at 100%, and then cut out the individual pattern pieces.

Trace the patterns onto brown cardstock, and then cut out. Fold the brown cardstock pieces along the fold lines.

Glue the sides of the house together along the tab folds. Glue the roof piece onto the walls of the house.

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Decorate the brown paper house to look like icing and lollies using puffy paint. Set aside the paper craft gingerbread house to let it dry.

If you have beads and stickers that look like Christmas candy you can also stick these to the house.

If you have leftover brown cardstock you can cut and decorate it to make a few gingerbread props.