Post Script: It was devoured by ants two weeks later

When I was a kid, one of my favorite annual holiday traditions was the crafting of graham-cracker houses. Like gingerbread houses, only easier, they were a staple of the Shellen Christmas-time ritual, which also included listening to terrible Christmas records and my father losing interest in decorating the tree after about two ornaments.

The house making slipped by the wayside in recent years after a pretty good run. I was quite pleased when my mom said she wanted to give it a shot again this year, especially since it would be the first time my five nephews would partake.

I used to keep to a fairly traditional house, supplemented with the occasional luxury add-on (I believe my last house had a nice Froot Loop spa with candy-cane handles). Jason has been more adventurous, one year creating a graham-cracker car accident that left a gingerbread man severed in half, bleeding red sprinkle blood onto the foil road beneath him, still a smile on his lifeless face.

This year, though, I knew I'd have to step it up since the whole family would be creating works of Honey Maid art fueled by the kinetic energy of several graham-less years. Heather created her own modern take on the house, which I'll let her post on her own she's posted pictures of here, but I wanted to do something a little different. Naturally, a stage seemed appropriate.

I spent the most time on the lighting rig, and I had originally intended only to have one guitarist/singer, but at the last moment I assembled a drum kit that I think turned out pretty nice. Inspired, I then made a fairly faithful replica of Farewell Typewriter, except that none of us have played instruments made out of cereal for years.

I'm entering my creation in YumSugar's Gingerbread House Challenge, so hopefully it'll be included in their roundup. You can check that out after Dec. 21. Meanwhile, enjoy: