DECEMBER 4

The idea of delayed gratification reached me in 1973, somewhere between “Street Fighting Man” and the advent of MTV. I was 6. We had a German au pair who made a real, authentic, Hansel-and-Gretel gingerbread house—festooned with candy canes, frosting everywhere, its gingerbread roof groaning under a snowdrift of cookies. Dig in, said us kids. No way, said Mom ‘n’ Dad, who placed the delicious yet decorative construction on the mantel, where it sat for the rest of the winter. Well, delayed gratification is still gratification: I might just borrow someone’s kid (age 7 or older) and go on down to the “Home Sweet Home” gingerbread- house workshop Saturday at 1 p.m at the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. $15. For reservations call (202) 272-2448. (Bill Gifford)