19 gingerbread house fails that will make you cringe

Gingerbread houses, those sticky, intricate confections, have become a DIY Christmas favorite over the years. Originating in Germany around the 16th century, these “sweet” houses were first decorated with tin foil and gold leaf. They experienced a rise in popularity thanks to the Brothers Grimm’s “Hansel and Gretel” fairytale.

That tale is, as we all know, grim – but there’s nothing quite as grim as a gingerbread house gone awry.

In an ideal world, gingerbread would be as hard as bricks and icing would be made of super glue, the combined powers of which would yield a standing, four-walled structure. But as these 20 Instagram photos will show you, that couldn’t be further from the case.

From melted icing to cracked gingerbread walls, we rounded up some of the most wince-inducing gingerbread house fails shared on social media over the past few years.

Keep scrolling to feel better about your own construction skills this holiday season.

This one is so abysmal it's "For Sale."

http://instagr.am/p/BdnjVdXlAq0

Honoring the treat's German roots, this "house" blames its wreckage on a Krampus invasion.

http://instagr.am/p/BdLR0NZnHIr

And there seems to be a theme when it comes to "walls" not staying together: people turn them into giant cookies instead. A 2D treat is easier than a 3D house.

http://instagr.am/p/BdMn3uEFE1e

Hey, as long as it tastes good, right?

http://instagr.am/p/BdRywcRFarA

Well, maybe not.

http://instagr.am/p/BdGjyMmlXzS

But sometimes, those gingerbread walls crack - too fragile for the harshness of human touch.

http://instagr.am/p/BdDi6r7HwAX

If you're making your gingerbread at home, it's important to let it cool after cooking. The longer it cools, the harder it gets, the less likely your walls will shatter...

http://instagr.am/p/BdJbjHBlm5s

...like this.

http://instagr.am/p/BdU575EHosy

But no matter what you do, the houses never come out looking like the picture on the box.

http://instagr.am/p/BdGpVhFF3qf

That being said, people come up with some crazy-inventive ways to remedy their house's shortcomings.

http://instagr.am/p/BdFXAZCnGo6

This one became a gingerbread tent, for instance.

http://instagr.am/p/BdD-LcrH1Gu

And this one turned into a robot's new lair.

http://instagr.am/p/BdBjxK2DV09

Other times, though, they're beyond repair.

http://instagr.am/p/BdHPQpqA3MA

There's no amount of super glue that could fix this poor guy...

http://instagr.am/p/BdHRKbRFfbc

...and this house was so close to being solid, we could almost taste success. But, alas.

http://instagr.am/p/BdGLAhzHNpL

Be safe out there, gingerbread artisans. There could be a "snownado" coming this Christmas.

http://instagr.am/p/BdBqKA1gpN2

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