Building gingerbread houses with family and friends is a tradition that continues to shine brighter with each holiday season. Since the fifteenth-century, the tradition of constructing these sweet, sugary houses has evolved, according to theguardian.com. Over the last six centuries, the holiday season has developed, and building these structures has become a central part of Christmas traditions.
The Brothers Grimm, a sibling duo from Hanau, Germany, created the original folklore stories for Rumpelstiltskin and Cinderella. Their fictitious stories connect to those of Hansel and Gretel, according to foodnetwork.ca. The tale of Hansel and Gretel may have inspired the tradition of making houses out of cookies. A line from the story of Hansel and Gretel suggests that the cottage had walls of bread, roofs of cake, and windows of sugar. This led Europeans to believe that the story of Hansel and Gretel inspired the invention of the gingerbread house.
After centuries of crafting, the invention of the gingerbread house spread throughout the world. The globalization of this tradition led to the creation of diverse approaches and innovative construction techniques for crafting gingerbread buildings. Nations like Norway, for instance, have created new recipes for gingerbread houses, according to stptrans.com. The development of these unique recipes allows each country to put its own spin on the gingerbread house tradition, creating distinct versions that reflect their cultures. While North America was one of the last continents to start the tradition of gingerbread house making, this activity is now very popular among households across the United States (US) and other North American countries, according to foodnetwork.ca.
The medieval town of Dinkelsbühl, Germany, referred to as the “real-life town of gingerbread houses,” served as another reason for the standard view of traditional gingerbread construction, according to theguardian.com. As a result, over the years, gingerbread house making has expanded into a lifestyle and job. Mr. Jon Lovitch, the sous-chef at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City, broke the Guinness record by creating the largest gingerbread village in the world in 2017, according to theguardian.com. As Christmas becomes more commercialized, gingerbread house creation has grown in variety and significance.
Lily Carroll, Head of Cooking Club, spoke about her favorite memories making gingerbread house. She discussed the joyful celebration that comes with this festive tradition.
“Every year, my friends and I make gingerbread houses from the kits and buy extra candy for decorating to personalize them,” Lily said. “Last year, my friend and I made a roof out of sour strips that we cut into shingles which was a lot of fun, I think it’s really special how everyone from little kids to adults enjoys building some variation of gingerbread houses. Some are better than others, but even if the house falls apart, it’s always a fun way to get into the Christmas spirit.”
Featured Image by Bella Boone ’27
