There was family, confections and smiles at Mandalay Elementary School and kindergartners enjoyed their annual gingerbread house celebration. The long-standing holiday tradition took place on Dec. 22, just in time for students to bring home an extra decoration before the break.

Each kindergartner welcomed one special guest, which included parents and grandparents. Using small milk cartons, students coated the outside with frosting before using the bounty of snacks to decorate. There were pretzels, marshmallows, gum drops and numerous other candy choices.

Parents from every class provided the treats, which teachers then sorted and distributed to each table. While most of the candy ended up on the houses, a few tastes were snuck here and there. The completed gingerbread houses then went home for the youngsters and their families to enjoy.