Welcome back to another festive holiday season! If you’re looking for a unique and charming way to decorate your home, creating a gingerbread house village window decor is the perfect DIY project. This whimsical window decoration idea is easy to create, and it will add a cozy holiday touch to your home. Last year, this project went viral, and I’m excited to share it with you again, with even more helpful tips and a gingerbread house village window decor printable for those who don’t have access to Trader Joe’s bags.
What You Need to Create Your Gingerbread House Village Window Decor:
- Paper grocery bags (Trader Joe’s bags work wonderfully, but I’ll share links to printable designs for those who don’t have access to these)
- Posca White Permanent Markers (These markers are perfect for drawing intricate details and have a vibrant, opaque finish.)
- Scissors and Tape (For cutting out and securing your designs to the window)
Step-by-Step Guide to Create Your Gingerbread House Village Window Decor
1. Gather Your Materials
First things first, head to Trader Joe’s to grab some of their festive paper grocery bags. Their holiday designs are perfect for this project, especially the gingerbread house imagery. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s nearby, don’t worry! Keep reading, because I’ve created printable templates of the gingerbread houses for you to download and use instead.
2. Cut Out the Gingerbread Houses
Once you’ve unpacked your groceries, carefully cut around the gingerbread house images on the paper bags. If you’re using printable templates, simply print out the designs and cut them out.
3. Attach the Houses to Your Window
Next, tape the cut-out gingerbread houses to the outside of your window. This is important because the markers will be applied on the inside of the window, and you’ll be using the cut-out images as a stencil.
4. Trace the House Designs
Using the Posca White Permanent Markers, trace the gingerbread house images through the window. Don’t worry about making it perfect—this is a whimsical, fun project, and the beauty is in the charm of imperfections! Add in some extra touches like snowy rooftops or snowflakes falling around the village.
5. Add Snowy Details
To complete the village look, draw a snowy base along the bottom of the windows, or add little dots as snowballs floating in the air. You can even add some snowy details to the edges of the gingerbread houses to make them really pop.
6. Step Back and Enjoy
Once you’re done, step back and admire your work! The design will show up best at night when the lights inside your home create a glowing backdrop against the white marker. It’s magical both from the inside looking out and from the outside looking in.
Easy Cleanup: Worry-Free Marker Removal
One of the most common questions I get is how easy it is to remove the Posca markers from windows once the season is over. The good news is that removing the designs is a breeze! Simply grab some Windex or any glass cleaner and a clean rag or paper towel, and the markers will come off with no effort at all. It’s just like washing a window—quick, easy, and mess-free!
Shop This Post: Get Everything You Need for Your Gingerbread Village Window Decor
Below are the links to all the supplies you’ll need to make your gingerbread house window village:
- Posca White Permanent Markers – These markers are my go-to for this project. They’re easy to use, vibrant, and perfect for window art.
- Paper Grocery Bags – If you don’t have access to Trader Joe’s bags  you can grab the printable templates below!
- Printable Gingerbread House Templates – If you don’t have Trader Joe’s bags, download my 6 gingerbread house designs (House 1, House 2, etc.) to get the same whimsical look.
Free Printable Gingerbread House Templates (Download Below!)
To make this project accessible to everyone, I’ve created a FREE download for six printable gingerbread house designs that you can easily cut out and use for your window decor.
Here are the 6 houses available for download:
These templates are designed to be printed directly onto your standard printer paper or cardstock.
How to Make Your Gingerbread House Village Shine
Once you’ve created your village, don’t forget to pin these images to your Pinterest board to inspire others! The snowy village look is perfect for the holidays and will definitely make your windows stand out. Plus, it’s a great DIY project for all ages, and I guarantee your neighbors will love the whimsical display!
Need More Ideas? Visit Last Year’s Post!
If you loved this project and want more holiday window decor inspiration, check out last year’s post where I go into even more detail and share tips for creating a variety of holiday-themed window art.
Happy Holidays and Happy Crafting!
I hope this gingerbread house village window decor brings as much joy to your home as it did last year. It’s such an easy and fun project that makes your windows look festive and charming without requiring a lot of effort. Be sure to share your creations with me on Instagram, and don’t forget to download the templates and start decorating today!
