They are intended for indoor tabletop display—common locations include mantels, tables, shelves, and tabletop centerpieces.

Tabletop gingerbread houses range from small craft kits that assemble to roughly 5×5 inches, to medium tabletop models around 7–8 inches tall, up to larger 'putz'‑style pieces about 14 inches high.

Kits typically include pre‑cut house panels or a preassembled lit paperboard house plus decorating supplies such as acrylic paints and a paintbrush; foam kits often add stickers, foam candy shapes, and fake snow, and some paint‑your‑own sets include a small lightbox or built‑in lighting.

Many foam craft kits use self‑adhesive, peel‑and‑stick panels that assemble like a puzzle, so glue is not required for those kits.

Age guidance varies by kit: some foam craft kits list ages as young as 3 years and up (or 3–12), while paint‑your‑own lit kits are suggested for older teens, around 14 years and up.