In your dreams, you're like Martha Stewart with the immaculately decorated (and always tidy) home, a gourmet meal on the table each night, and creative, homemade holiday gifts for all of your friends and family. In reality, you're all about minimal décor, frozen pizzas and Target gift cards. Not that there's anything wrong with your real life, but there are ways to inject a little creativity into your world without ridiculous amounts of effort.
On Saturdays starting Nov. 29 through Dec. 20, swing by a Foodstuffs Gourmet Foods location in Evanston, Glencoe, Glenview or Lake Forest to participate in Gingerbread Dream House Decorating. Receive a pre-assembled, pre-baked (music to our ears) gingerbread house, along with icing, gumdrops, sprinkles and more decorations you could never dream up yourself to decorate the house. Staff will be on hand to give you decorating tips (whew!) and the best part is that you don't have to clean up your own mess.
Gingerbread houses are $14.99 per person, and children under 12 will receive a free chef's hat. Reservations must be made by the Thursday prior to each Saturday to assure a freshly-baked house waiting for your arrival. Packaged Gingerbread House kits are also available for purchase to take home – although if you can get free decorating tips and not have to clean up after yourself, we say, make the house at Foodstuffs!
Foodstuffs in Evanston, 2106 Central Street, 847-328-7704; in Glencoe, 338 Park Avenue, 847-835-5105; in Glenview, 1456 Waukegan Road (in Carillon Square), 847- 832-9999; and in Lake Forest, 255 East Westminster Street, 847-234-6600.