Here at GH, we love everything about gingerbread houses. For us, building and icing a cute biscuit house marks the start of Christmas. And, while we still have a while to go until the big day – 108 days, to be exact, not that we’re counting – M&S has solved our dilemma by launching a Halloween version.
The kit includes everything you need to make a ‘spooky showstopper’ in the run-up to 31 October. The walls and roof are made from chocolate biscuit, which might be even more kid-friendly than spicy gingerbread versions, and there are colourful purple, green and white icing, fruity jelly sweets and other edible treats for the final decorating.
Rather than waiting until December to get stuck into a festive building project, you can make a Halloween-themed house right now – it’s already in store! We can already picture our kitchen table covered in icing and sweets, kids arguing over who gets to add the finishing touches, half the decorations already scoffed. But don’t let that put you off.
The chocolate biscuit structure sounds like a particularly good choice for little ones that find gingerbread – ‘too spicy!’ And with Halloween falling during half-term this year, we predict this house will be hugely popular with parents looking for activities to keep kids busy. Any activity that is followed by an edible reward is a win in our household – and it’s exactly what I want from a half-term afternoon.
As such, we reckon it will sell out – fast. At £7, it’s also an affordable way to make Halloween feel like an occasion, whether you’re planning a party, or simply want to bring a little spooky fun to the kitchen table.
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
