Wreaths, stories, and gingerbread houses

I think symbolism is really cool.  It adds so much depth.  Christmas is full of symbols - all meant to tell the Gospel story.

Do you know the symbolism behind the wreath?  It's made of greens to symbolize life and it is in the shape of a circle which represents eternity.  Put together it is meant to symbolize the eternal life we have in Christ.   There are so many types of front door decorations one could choose, but I'll stick with the traditional evergreen wreath as a precious reminder. {Day 13}

Day 14 and 15 - we read more children's Christmas picture books.  We bought a new one this year at Costco called Song of the Stars - A Christmas story by Sally Lloyd-Jones.   It's the story of the birth of Jesus from Creation's point of view.  As the animals peer in to see the newborn babe, they say, "The One who made us has come to live with us!"   Love that! 

Today {Day 16} we Hannah and Matt made a gingerbread house.  I bought this inexpensive kit from Trader Joe's.  

 Those two always have a lot of fun together.  Even after the house was finished, they kept laughing and joking because even though the finished house looked cute, it did NOT taste good.  We all agreed that homemade is the only way to go.  Matt noted that not enough candies or icing was supplied, so it was close to impossible to make our house look like the super cute one on the box.

Honestly, I've never been big on gingerbread houses.  Something about them being left out, growing stale, collecting dust and germs....ew!  
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I highly doubt we will make any more gingerbread houses, but gingerbread men?  Now we are talking!