Julie Lavender, a Georgia Southern University graduate with a Bachelor’s (1983) and Master’s (1985) in Early Childhood Education, taught kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grades for six years before starting a family. Lavender now works as a writer, and she enjoyed a holiday season filled with sugar and spice, as her newest book, A Gingerbread House, debuted just in time for Christmas.
She is passionate about family, being a wife, mother of 4, and grandmother of 3. She loved being a stay-at-home mom, homeschooling her children for 25 years, and writing part-time.
“I dreamed of writing a children's picture book when I was a school teacher. I loved reading picture books to my students and carried that tradition into my home and building gingerbread houses,” Lavender added. "I originally wrote this book thinking our decades-long tradition of creating gingerbread houses might end with my youngest child graduating from college. But to my delight, the tradition has come full circle—now shared with a grandchild. My adult children still cherish the time spent together, as a family, building these tasty masterpieces."
"My book ‘A Gingerbread House’ tells the sweet story of a grandfather and a little girl creating a gingerbread house, making memories and enjoying the scents of the season. It is up to the little girl to figure out what's missing from their gingerbread house. When she realizes, ‘a house is a home when a family is within,’ they bake a batch of gingerbread people and NOW their house is complete!” Lavender shared of her book.
It's a multi-generational book, something that was important to Lavender. She shared, "It's great when both grandparents and parents make fun, creative, lasting memories with their grands or their kids."
Weichert Realtors work with a different type of house
In December, 2024, Weichert Realtors - Webb & Associates in Statesboro invited Julie to introduce and read her book and construct gingerbread houses with their staff, just shy of ‘National Gingerbread House Day’ on December 12, 2024. Together they hosted a festive gingerbread house workshop in the office. Lavender's reading of her book added a touch of seasonal magic to the gathering, shared Abbey Adams, Marketing Specialist.
The team of 15+ embraced the fun of building gingerbread houses together, showcasing their creativity and humor. Agent Victoria Arthur joked, “You can totally tell we’re Realtors -- not construction workers!”
William Webb quipped, "These houses will be up and on the market for a great price tomorrow.”
"The workshop brought laughter, teamwork, and holiday spirit to the office, offering a light-hearted way to celebrate the season as a team,” shared Adams.
Sweet memories year-round
As the Realtors proved, you don't have to grow out of these sweet memories as your childhood ends. Lavender said, “A Gingerbread House’ is a versatile book, perfect for families looking to start or continue the holiday tradition of ginger-building. It’s an excellent choice for grandparents to share during holiday visits or as a delightful bedtime read when the grands or great-grands are having a sleepover.”
Lavender has been using her promotional duo, Ginger and Geoff (the gingerbread twins), to introduce her books.
"I thought it would be fun to have these two travel with David (my husband) and me on our adventures and share the excitement of our journeys. Gingerbread houses are perfect year-round, with a kit and seasonal candy, it's a GO!,” she shared. “Fun little-moments are often the most highly treasured, the ones we remember the longest with the greatest fondness.”
Full of warmth and love, this book is sure to create cherished memories for readers of all ages.
And take it from gingerbread expert Julie Lavender; you haven't missed your chance if you didn't make a house this holiday season. There's still time!
“Who says gingerbread houses have to be a ‘Christmas’ activity? If you didn't find time to create a house and make memories with a little one, plan to decorate a house for Valentine's, Easter, or just because!”
