No, the title is not part of an alternative version of that Christmas song that cumulatively lists things (whatever it is called). It is really that I spotted the display of the entries in something that looked like the aftermath of a gingerbread house bake-off. This was at the Kitchen Academy, the chef’s school next door to the Arclight.
Here are some more pictures, including the top three places, and then I have a question for you:
I have a question. I”ve only just noticed for the first time this year that gingerbread houses are connected to this holiday season. Has it always been this way and I’ve never noticed? From where does this tradition originate? Does this mean that if I went back to my children’s books and re-read the gingerbread man story1 I would find that it was in fact a Christmas story, and I’d just not noticed before? Or is the gingerbread man story not related to gingerbread houses? Are Hansel and Gretel related to this in anyway? Is Germanic folk tradition involved? I recall edible houses in that story2, but definitely no Christmas or other festive season. So when did this connection begin? This is all so confusing. Is it all just a conspiracy of Hallmark, Hershey, and other manufacturers of, er …sugary goodness?
Your knowledge and ideas can help – please! Inquiring minds need to know.
-cvj
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1I found an online version here… very sad ending indeed! Was that how it always ended?
2I found a nice version of it (and other Grimm’s tales) here. (Have a read of it with your young ones tonight! Nothing like witches threatening to eat children as the key danger in a story.)
Gingerbread originated in Germany. It was made by gingerbread bakers who lived in the woods near the bee keeping monks. Original gingerbread is made with honey instead of molasses which is popular in the States.
Gingerbread houses competitions and television specials have risen Gingerbread to new heights. I myself was lucky enough to be on a Food Network Gingerbread Challenge. You can see some of my pictures at http://www.valariepics.shuttefly.com
Nice to meet ya!
Valaire
In the U.S. there’s such a hodgepodge of Christmas traditions that it is often difficult to track down their origins, although books have been written about it. When google fails, you can always try a book of Christmas traditions.
One year when I was a kid, we made a gingerbread house. To me, it was a lot of work for little joy, so perhaps that’s why we never did it again. I think a lot of these side traditions were promoted by women’s magazines like Good Housekeeping (that’s where we got the gingerbread house recipe from). Gingerbread cookies are also associated with the holiday, although the story of the gingerbread man isn’t. The gingerbread man dies in the story because he’s arrogant and thinks he’s invincible–this version is the only one I know.
I did a little Googling; it seems that the gingerbread-related Christmas tradition may have originated from the Christkindlmarkt in Nuremberg in the 15th century. I’m not sure exactly when gingerbread houses came into it. It seems that “Hansel and Gretel” did popularize the idea of gingerbread houses.
Some links:
http://www.homeschooled-kids.com/gingerbreadfun.html
http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/2006/10gingerbread.shtml
I’ve always associated gingerbread houses with Christmas, here in the US. Not that I’ve ever made one. I have no idea what the history is.