Happy National Gingerbread House Day!

Getting a jump start on the holiday at a gingerbread house display and contest this past weekend

Today is National Gingerbread House Day and I celebrated early this past weekend in our "up north hometown" of Lewiston.  As part of a grand Christmas holiday celebration, the town hosted a gingerbread house contest, and the entries were both varied and extremely impressive.

According to National Days Today, the gingerbread house tradition started in Germany in the 1800's.  Historians trace the custom to Grimm's fairytale, "Hansel and Gretel" where an evil witch lures children to her home made of gingerbread. The storybook abode served as inspiration for creative bakers and, as Germans immigrated to the US, the custom continued in America.

Various themes and ages competed in the gingerbread house contest

However, per the History Kitchen, gingerbread houses were known to be made in Germany as early as the 16th century as part of a Christmas tradition. This source does note, though, that the popularity in this confectionary construction is associated with the early 19th century children's story, "Hansel and Gretel".

Some of the gingerbread houses had decorated interiors as well as exteriors

Event.stuff cites the reason for National Gingerbread House Day, which is "universally celebrated" on December 12th, is "to make these delightful desserts and honor the custom of making gingerbread houses". They also provide a list of five ways to celebrate this holiday and BTS shares its take on all of them.

1.  Join in gingerbread house amusements

2.  Coordinate a gingerbread house challenge

3.  Get imaginative with design

4.  Drink a gingerbread latte

5.  Assemble a gingerbread house

I'm creatively lumping categories 1 - 3 with my visit to Lewiston's gingerbread house contest. My friend, Vicky (of Antiques Depot and Harry's Cabin), alerted me to the sweet competition. Although I did not have anything to do with the coordination, I did participate in an engaging tour of the display and exercised my right to vote judiciously and deliciously.

Again, as a passive participant, I did take in the incredible designs from a keen 7-year old artist's cabin with an open roof for viewing the interior kitchen (complete with tiny mugs of cocoa) to a savvy retail merchant's Halloween town. Also in the mix was a slightly leaning old barn, whose real-life inspiration can be seen just a few miles out of town. Gingerbread houses took on a wide range of  amazing shapes and sizes.

Crooked barn gingerbread house 

As of this afternoon, I haven't even looked up who won. I think I may speak for most who attended and that is, they were all winners and certainly lived up to the spirit of National Gingerbread House Day, creating delightful desserts and honoring the custom of gingerbread houses.

Inspiration for barn gingerbread house close to town

Now then, getting back to Event.stuff's five ways to celebrate, running down to number 4, which is to drink a gingerbread latte. Of course, I'm drinking tea, but still, sort of, on topic. This year's Advent Calendar from Adagio nailed the occasion. Tea for December 12th is "double ginger" and it's as warm and tasty as the holiday.

Celebrating gingerbread house day with double ginger tea from Adagio's

As for the final item in things to do for National Gingerbread House Day, I have yet to create my own gingerbread house. But, I'm thinking of what I might devise for 2023. If you've suspected I may build a gingerbread tea house, I will say, you may be quite right. . . 

Double ginger tea was tasty and paired nicely with the holiday

And for those of you who will find it hard to wait another whole year to celebrate this delectable ginger treat, you don't have to. National Gingerbread Day is June 5th.  Almost all the fun of gingerbread - just minus the house.

In the meantime, Happy National Gingerbread House Day from BTS!