I'm pretty new at the gingerbread making, too, and you find out a few things rather quickly:
1) Probably the most important I've found: don't eat you material! That sounds so dumb, but when you are in a house that constantly has kids flowing in and out of it, you have to hide or store your materials rather well!
2) Mare sure you know what you want out of your house. If you just get started going, "I'll just see what I come up with..." you won't be disappointed, but I've found it's very satisfying to do something familiar and know that what was in my head is now on gingerbread! However, it is a great way to do your first house, just to see how the process works. (Not saying don't do it that way, just saying I prefer not to.)
3) Don't rush the process. Royal icing takes a couple to dry, and putting together a house for the first time can be a horrible experience if you don't let it sit (I know- my first one had convexed walls). If you're baking your pieces, make sure that they are thouroughly cool. After the pieces are cooled enough to build with, try and put together the house by propping up pieces or that you know if you need to trim or not.
4) You don't have to stick to any kind of rules unless you put them in place. As you said, you *aren't* going into competitions, so don't worry about the entire thing having to be edible unless you want it to be! If you want it to be a centerpiece, that's good!
Don't let anyone tell you "Oh my! You have a lollipop stick in there?! For shame!" The only time you need to worry about things like that is if your house is going to be digested.
Other than that, doing research and looking at other's work it the best thing. You can see some awesome ideas like taking shredded wheat and making it into grass or hay! Do your research and you'll have a blast make it.
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