The City of Delaware, Ohio, is welcoming the holiday season with a sweet new tradition: its first-ever gingerbread house competition.
The event invites residents of all ages to build and decorate their own gingerbread creations for a chance to win prizes across several categories.
Organized by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, the inaugural City of Delaware Gingerbread House Competition is open to everyone, whether they want to enter alone or work with family and friends. Participants can show off their creativity by building festive gingerbread houses and competing against others in their age group.
Registration is now open, but interested residents must sign up by Dec. 6, according to ABC6. Once registered, participants will have from Dec. 7 through Dec. 10 to bring their finished gingerbread houses to the Mingo Park Recreation Facility at 500 E. Lincoln St. Entries must be dropped off by 7 p.m.
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Winners will be announced on Dec. 12 during the city’s Cookies & Cocoa Carnival. Participants do not need to attend the event to win.
The competition will feature five categories: Child (ages 5 to 8), Youth (ages 9 to 12), Teens (ages 13 to 17), Adult (ages 18 and older) and Family/Group. The city has also confirmed that every category will have prizes, giving participants of different ages and skill levels an opportunity to take home an award.
The new competition gives Delaware residents a chance to take part in one of the most recognizable holiday decorating traditions.
According to the city’s announcement, the event welcomes participants as young as five and adults up to 95 years old. Residents can choose to build their creations individually or team up with relatives and friends.
“Whether you’re 5 or 95, building solo or with your family, it’s time to get creative and show off your holiday skills!” the Parks and Recreation Department said in its announcement.
The organizers are encouraging participants to gather their decorating supplies, including gumdrops, frosting and other colorful candies, and start planning their designs before the registration deadline.
Gingerbread Houses Remain a Popular Christmas Holiday Tradition
Gingerbread houses have been part of Christmas celebrations for generations. Made from baked gingerbread pieces assembled into buildings, these edible creations are often decorated with icing, candy, and other sweet treats.
The tradition of making decorated gingerbread houses became popular in Germany during the early 1800s. Some researchers connect their popularity to the Brothers Grimm fairy tale “Hansel and Gretel,” which features a house made of bread and sugar decorations. German bakers began creating their own decorated houses, helping establish a Christmas tradition that later spread to other countries, including the United States.
Today, gingerbread houses come in many designs. While traditional versions look like small homes with candy-covered roofs and icing decorations, some builders create castles, churches, museums and other structures.
The creative possibilities have also helped turn gingerbread decorating into a competitive holiday activity. In the United States, the National Gingerbread House Competition began in 1992 at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina.
Residents can visit the City of Delaware Parks and Recreation’s official Facebook page for the competition announcement and registration information.
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