Gingerbread-By-Design

Gingerbread Dreams based on Architectural Realities.

2020 GBD On-line Holiday Gingerbread-Smackdown entries ...

1. Farm House by Diane Alancraig

This house uses many candies purchased from the 99-cent store. The back of the house has a large garden with mushrooms, pumpkins and peas !!

2. Apocalypse 2020 by Mackswell Brooks

Inspiration: Spike pit, eye of Sauron Tower(s), peril like unto Lord of the Rings
Candy used: dummies, belly beans, candy canes sharpened into spikes, jelly beans

3. Bean Cottage by Alexis Zolner

I looked online for inspiration for a cottage with a curved roof and found a drawing posted on Pinterest "A Casa Dos Ursinhos" that I played around with. I built the house using foamcore first and using a scalpel, put slits in the roof so it would bend and follow the curve of the house. I laid hot gingerbread on top of the roof and it then took the shape of the roof. One side turned out better than the other. Beans are used to mimic stone walls and the windows are just square pretzels.

4. Calvin & Hobbes hijack The Polar Express by Marilyn Fausti

From 2008-2016 I made a display gingerbread house at work as encouragement for Toys for Tots donations. Since retiring, I have been displaying them in North Carolina at my local library, basing the GBH theme on a children's book. This year I used Chris Van Allsburg's The Polar Express as my inspiration and Calvin & Hobbes as my anti-heroes. The train is an actual toy (with a large Christmas bell on board), but the house is construction-grade gingerbread. The roof tiles are gingerbread cookies

5. Candy Cane Cottage by Dani Hansen

Candy Cane garland along the roof, peppermint candies and red gumdrops!

6. Candy Cane Lane by Andrew Forman

Candy Cane Lane is our interpretation of the Town Village Pattern on gingerbreadexchange.com. Once again, I was the gingerbread baker/assembler while my daughter was the designer and chief decorator. We used hard crack sugar for the windows (check out the bakery window with treats inside!), we melted jolly ranchers for the church stained glass, and used tons of candy canes and Big Red gum for paths. All trees and shrubs are made of royal icing. Check our process Meredith's TikTok, @meredith.eva

7. Christmas Carousel by Reggie Fleck

This was a bit tricky as I made my won template. I took my time assembling it and, thankfully, everything came together.

8. Christmas Cathedral by Elisa Highley

The entire cathedral is made of gingerbread, royal icing and gelatin for the windows. Because of how 2020 has been I wanted to create something to bring the spirit of Christmas alive. It is a large piece at 18 inches tall and 18 inches wide and is illuminated with lights.

9. Christmas Dreams by Cyndy Wieland

Who wouldn't want a puppy in a box for Christmas? Our Logo dog, George is the inspiration behind this gingerbread creation. George BP is now an 8 year old Samoyed, weighing in at 123 pounds. He is a real show stopper when it comes to meeting him. We can hardly go for walks due to constantly being stopped by people we meet along the way that either want to pet him or have questions they want to ask about him. Each side of this gingerbread creation has a puppy related theme. The first side ha

10. Christmas Under the Sea by Maryanne Garcia

Everything is gingerbread! I used colored sugar, sprinkles, gumballs, M&M's, red hot candies, fondant, royal icing, candy canes, graham cracker and spices (sand) and Swedish fish around the base.

11. Church before Christmas Eve Service by Linda Crow

My structure represents a small town church in the quiet, candle lit contemplation before parishioners gather.

12. Colorful Candy! by Kathy Mazza

My creation goes to a children’s hospital for their lobby holiday display. Knowing that people cannot linger in the lobby to look at tiny details - I decided to go with BIG color and candy so that even people hurrying by would be able to appreciate the whimsy of a candy house!

13. COVID Hospital by Melissa Brooks

Free tasty vaccines!

14. D'arcy's Classic Gingerbread Cottage by D'arcy Martin

I had so much fun lining the roof with stars and red and green sugar pearls! M&M along the front trim (yes I ate more than I put on the house lol!) and Hershey's kisses along the top of the roof. Ty made fun of my house, saying "Why do you have so many chimneys?" Peppermint bark chips for the window awnings. Red Hots for the front step. Christmas lights along the gutter. The best part was the gingerbread people from Pepperidge Farms!

15. Deck the Halls by Sam Crimmins

Went for an elegant design. Wilton sprinkles used to decorate flower boxes and door wreath. Fairy lights used to light up house and gelatine sheets used for windows.

16. Dilly, Dilly Castle by Tammy Graf

The theme started out as just a regular castle, but then the Superbowl hit so I changed the theme in honor of the RAMS. One of the NFL sponsors is Bud light and the "Bud Light Knight".(who is dressed in blue and silver) They have a sayings when they get a touchdown is DILLY DILLY. You will see on the banners outside the castle drawbridge it says Dilly Dilly. I played off the "Bud Light Knight"/ Castle theme. Its all Gingerbread (except for the 'knights') I used dark molassas for the castle.

17. Edna’s Winter Village by Edna Jopson

My inspiration for this was to use up supplies that I had on hand. I did not let myself buy anything I didn’t already have. I used gingerbread for the houses and covered them with fondant. I painted the houses with food color. Red licorice, gumdrops and white chocolate were used for street lamps. Foundation of the houses are chocolate rocks. Front steps are sweet tart lego like bricks coated with white Chocolate. Windows are melted Jolly Ranchers. Pretzel rods, gumdrops and spearmint drops were

18. Fountain Gingerbread House by Judith Lopes

This Gingerbread house has a working water fountain.

19. French Provincial Gingerbread House by Katie Tomkins

My entry was inspired by my travels to Provence a few years ago. Many of the older buildings feature French Provincial mansard roof lines. A Parisian law had been in place since 1783, restricting the heights of buildings to 20 metres. The height was only measured up to the cornice line, making any living space contained in a mansard roof exempt.
The gingerbread house and fencing is all hand piped, featuring no store-bought candy and no non-edible internal structure.
I hope you like it!

20. Front Line Workers by Sharon Buckwell

We didn't have a local contest this year so a bunch of us put up a display at the usual restaurant thanking front line workers. I made the stores with signs saying thank you. Because it wasn't a contest I did add non-edible trees.

21. Gingerbread and chocolate diorama by Robbie Cheadle

This diorama includes a large gingerbread mansion, a gingerbread house constructed and decorated by my 11 year old niece, a gingerbread chapel and four chocolate houses. The theme is A summer Christmas in South Africa. Each of the fairies in the diorama is a flower fairy. The small fairies are made from a jelly bean and fondant and the larger fairies are specific flowers, namely, buttercup fairies, roses fairies and the autumn fairy.

22. Gingerbread Bakery by Brittany Olivieri

Self drafted pattern for a shop front with open display windows. Made from construction grade gingerbread, covered in homemade Royal icing. Includes gingerbread “pastries,” melted hard candy windows, Pez brickwork, Nerd candy rock steps, wafer cookie chimney, bubble gum strip roof top, fondant poodle, black royal icing fencing, gumpaste table and chairs, and lots of sprinkles

23. Gingerbread Carousel by Monica Eskridge

Laser cut gingerbread with Royal icing

24. Gingerbread Doll House by MaryLou Bullerman

I was bored and thinking of not bothering to make a gingerbread house because I had made everything I could think of. My granddaughter suggested I make a doll house, because I love to decorate doll houses.

25. Gingerbread House 2020 filled with cake by Ashwini parab

My Gingerbread house is homemade. It is filled with cinnamon flavored cake filled and frosted with chocolate ganache. Gingerbread cookies individually decorated with royal icing, windows made with isomalt,mini m&m used for lighting on the front door, roof is decorated with fondant.

26. Gingerbread Manger Scene by Elizabeth McIntyre

This display is baked gingerbread with fondant figures. The magi and shepherds with their sheep surround the manger scene.

27. Gingersheen by Patrick Mulcahy

Gingersheen is a replica of the Glensheen Mansion in Duluth, MN. Everything is edible with the exception of the lights and the base. This mansion is loaded with Big Red Gum and even has Ju Ju Bee exterior lights that work!

28. Gnome for the Holidays by B. Michelle Howell

Started as a simple Old Mill with a lighted waterfall design. It soon took on a life of it's own. The base is ginger clay with isolmalt pond. The cottage and mill are gingerbread with sugar rods for support, royal icing, and cookies for roofing. The window is a gelatin sheet, and interior of the cottage has a candy rock fireplace, table and gingerbread "pie and cake". The ice blocks are rock candy, the gnomes are marzipan, and the 'fruitcake' is gingerbread and royal icing. Hope you enjoy,

29. Gooley Mountain Cottage by Shannon Gooley

Chocolate Rock Candy for stone walls; Ice cream Cones for trees; Pretzel Chairs; Fondant Roofing, Shutters and Walls embossed with wood pattern Royal Icing piped icicles; Royal Icing piped wreaths; Firewood logs made from pretzels; Skis and rack made from gum sticks and pretzels; campfire made from pretzels with a mini marshmallow colored orange for the fire and the circle of chocolate rock candy. Dusted with powdered sugar for snow.

30. H. G. Wells The Time Machine by Cheryl Barnhart

The theme was science fiction however perfectly fitting for 2020! The chair is made of gingerbread and the cushion is Rice Krispie ginger flour blend covered in fondant with Nonpareil’s as the buttons; the disc is gingerbread painted with food coloring and gold confetti sprinkles; pasta is used to support the control unit that is covered in fondant; pasta is also used as the wires behind the chair; the motor behind the chair is made of the krispie ginger mix covered in fondant;

31. Happy birthday, Jesus by Jeanne WAGGONER

32. Holiday Igloo by Linda Meigloo

gumdrop penguins, fondant narwhal, 100 gingerbread blocks!

33. Holiday Lighthouse by Katherine Carver

Gingerbread covered fondant with royal icing; decorations made from thyme, dill and rosemary.

34. Homage to my mom and dad by Karen Lundy

Ferguson's Bakery is chalk full of goods, and Eileen's greenhouse has poinsettia and Christmas cactuses. My parents passed away - Dad Gordon in 2008, and mom Eileen in 2015. I made this from scratch. Merry Christmas.

35. Home for the Holidays by Amata Small

I thought this was the perfect year to go all out on a gingerbread house since we don’t have holiday parties and other festivities. This house uses the Waterford pattern, which I first made in cardboard to adjust the design and ensure everything fit correctly. I used gum for the bricks and tried to recreate slate tiles using fondant. Since I used gelatin leaves for the windows, I decided I needed to decorate the interior with framed windows, a fireplace, tree, a couple of wreaths and some pretze

36. Hot Cocoa sale at 36 Gingerbread Lane! by Kate Bartoldus

My entry this year features 3 gingerbread kiddos anxiously awaiting customers for their hot cocoa stand at 36 Gingerbread Lane. Mom and Dad are keeping an eye at the top of the stone walkway. Three Christmas trees decorate the property while 2 festive dog houses can be found on the left side of the house just beyond the pond. A pointsettia fence lines the property. The house windows were made with crushed butterscotch candy, and the pond is crushed jolly rancher candy. I used ice cream cones for

37. Home. A place of refuge, rest, and care. by Monica Eskridge

The last few years I’ve gotten away from the Gingerbread House. From monuments to monoliths, the themes got larger in scale and scope, and the thought of “just a house” was boring. And then came 2020. Where home became everything - to everyone. It was where we were safest. Where we fed ourselves and rested ourselves. Where we comforted each other and frustrated each other. Where we held everything from fencing lessons to choir concerts. Cocktails to scavenger hunts. Workouts.

38. Jolly Ginger House by Rosalyn Kamuda

Homemade gingerbread and frosting, Jolly ranchers windows, and various candies.

39. Judy's Place by Judy Lopes

Everything is edible except the lights

40. La la la la, la la la la by Annie Skilling

Plain gingerbread house with gelatin cross hatched windows sitting in the snow.

41. Lakeside Cabin Christmas by Teena Ham

Lakeside Cabin Christmas is 100% edible, with the majority being gingerbread. The cabin is totally gingerbread, including the lattice. The beautiful blue color was achieved by brushing the walls with edible color dust. Fondant roofing covers the gingerbread ‘wood’ panels, and the landscaping was created with gingerbread crumbs incorporated in a basic rice krispy treat blend. Royal icing decorated sugar cones for trees and fondant water and snow. The Christmas lights are candy coated sunflower se

42. Mar's Ratchet Peppermint Place by Ana Brooks

Theme: swirly peppermint designs. Materials: gingerbread, royal icing, mini candy canes, peppermints.
Methinks it's not a bad first attempt!

43. Mid Century Modern Retreat by Julie Kim

Modern gingerbread home using the DWR gingerbread house template. A few touches to make it a little more interesting!!

44. Mistletoe Manor by Jackie de Broise

I am a home baker who was asked to design and build this for a baking kit company that started up in the UK, to promote mindfulness during lockdown.
This house was made to show what could be done with their top of the range gingerbread kit. The extensive kit came with design consultancy and support from the team and myself - soliciting interest from the pastry chef of an Arab Diplomat!
I decided to go with an English Georgian Manor design.
The build includes quality baking ingredients, includi

45. Muskegon Union Depot by Ronda Bowman

I fell in love with this building the first time I saw it and decided to make it from gingerbread. It is completely edible except for the light system inside. All the gingerbread is covered with fondant, the windows are butterscotch candy, and the shingles are made of gum painted with food color. It was the most challenging roof system I've ever made, and so satisfying to complete! I began drawing the plan a month ago, and have worked on it in my spare time since.

46. North Pole Express by Laurel Smiley

Pulling into station, it’s The North Pole Express! Our gingerbread train carries homemade confections through the snowy mountains. Built by The Gingerbread Sisters, Kyndall & Laurel, this display is made using gingerbread, royal icing, & isomalt windows.

47. Notre-Dame by Pauliina Hänninen

It's gingerbread replica of Notre Dame de Paris. It's made of normal gingerbread dough and decorated with royal icing. There's a series of LED lights inside the building.

48. Orangerie/Greenhouse by Lillian Rohrer

Because of Covid19, my granddaughter was not able to help me this year so I decided to work with a simpler template. The beautiful turn-of-the 19th century greenhouse in our village was the inspiration. The "orangerie" is a minimally decorated gingerbread greenhouse with surprises inside. The windows are gelatine sheets; some of the trees use ice cream cones coated with green royal icing and other greenery is created with pressed and sculpted green rice crispy treats. The poinsettias are mad

49. Pretty in Pink by Norah Brooks

Inspiration: Pink baby showers; Candy used: candy melts, gingerbread, royal icing, candy canes, cinnamon bears, peppermints, Good and Plenty

50. Protests, Red Church, Minsk, Belarus by Velida Kent

I was inspired by Belarusian people who rose up against the president Lukashenka, who stole the elections. Some people were killed and the opposition leaders are in jail.

51. Quarantine Dream by Deanna McKinney

Inspired by the Wedding Cake House in New Orleans. Created a pattern out of cardboard. Roof is grey fondant cut in 1 inch squares, windows are gelatin sheets, siding and trim is all done in white fondant, columns are gingerbread covered with royal icing, bushes and 2 larger trees made with green colored rice krispy treats, fence is made with kind bars, white chocolate pretzel stars, tootsie rolls and sour cherries. Railing was made with royal icing scraped with decorating comb on wax paper unt

52. Ricky by Truman Brooks

Inspiration: A nice black lab dog
Materials: Rainbow strips, dummies, peppermint candies, pretzels

53. Rose Hall by Rob Kent de Grey

For a few years, we've been building a gingerbread house to decorate over Thanksgiving weekend. This year's house reminds me of the Renaissance carol "Down in Yon Forest." The house's stained glass windows include four in the traditional rose style, as well as a fifth larger rose window featuring its namesake flower. Some clear windows are bordered by colored candy glass tiles. Climbing ivy on the porte-cochère is echoed by festive swags and garlands. The house is approximately three feet long,

54. Santa has arrived by Diane Alancraig

We used a combination of marshmallows and royal icing to create the smoke for the train and chimney

55. Santa in Quarantine by Julie Andreacola

This piece illustrates life living during Covid pandemic. Santa put on some extra pounds with his room full of toilet paper, amazon boxes, bread and wine bottles. Outside, the elves are doing Covid testing

56. Santa's flight from the North Pole Lighthouse by Al Septien

We used Poppy Sticks and sliced gumdrops in half for a different look on the roof

57. Ski Holiday by Gina Vito

Our theme was a ski resort because I use to take my niece and nephews skiing Christmas Vacation. Sunday River is where I taught them to ski. The green trail, Broadway, was their first trail they learned on and Right Stuff was their first black diamond. We used sticks of gum cut and shaped for the skis, pretzels for the ski rack, a gingerbread mold for the skiers. Jolly ranchers for the stained glass windows. This was pretty

58. South 2nd Street Springfield IL by Mary Hudgins

There is a house in Springfield that is similar to the Heidi's Haunted House pattern. I used that pattern with some adaptions, including moving the tower to the front of the house, to make this year's gingerbread house. I always think Hansel and Gretel and try to use as many different candy types as I can.

59. Stained Glass Gingerbread House by Jim Tinkham

The Gingerbread was made from scratch and is a tried & true recipe that Jim has perfected over the years. The stained glass windows are made from gummy bears baked into the dough. The light shinning through the windows is an added treat! All decorations are 100% edible . The house took 25-30 hours to complete.

60. Taffy's Gingerbread Dog House by Elizabeth McIntyre

The display is how I imagine my dog Taffy would build a gingerbread doghouse. Everything is baked gingerbread including the snowflakes and gingerbread buttons on her sweater. If you look in the mirror you'll see she had to use her bone to prop up her building and she's also left some powdered sugar footprints for me to clean up! The colors were added with dry and wet powder dusts.

61. Thank you medical staff by Sarah Cummings

This entry was part of a joint theme, thanking front line workers of many types in the fight against covid 19. This entry is the hospital, in thanks to the tireless medical staff keeping so many alive, and fighting this pandemic.

62. The Captain's House by Annette Brown

Based on a house along the coast of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, I love to imagine that it was built by a retired sea captain who wanted to overlook the bay. It is fully edible including candy glass windows.

63. The DeSoto Hotel by Amanda Marks

I decided to build the hotel I work at for a Gingerbread Competition. I built in in 5 days (little sleep was had). I did not use much candy on the piece, I did use modeling chocolate which is quite tasty. My dogs also found the gingerbread pieces very tasty, I lost a wall and a statue to them. All in all it was a crazy undertaking that left me with little sleep for almost a week. All in all, I am happy with the end product.

64. The Holly and the Ivy by Rachel Delany

This was my first non-traditional gingerbread house! I painted the pieces with white food coloring to look like stucco and added Ivy and garlands. The brick is made of starbursts and the roof is made of fondant. I used gelatin sheets for the windows and added fairy lights to the inside. There are two Christmas trees housed inside. The double wraparound porches have almond slice flooring, candy cane support poles, and wrought iron fencing made from spaghetti covered in royal icing.

65. The Row Houses by Alec Septien

Edible Butterflies, Necco wafers and plenty of royal icing

66. The Streets of David’s Town by Beverly Cutler

My creation is based on a German candle arch . It consists of 10 gingerbread cookies cut with an xacto knife .The candle oldies and candles are made of fondant and the candle wicks are made of spaghetti. The back ground is painted with food color gel and sprinkled with edible glitter . The letters are stamped with cookie letter stamps and painted It lights up at night to make a shadow box

67. Train Station by the Sea and Santa on Vacation by Diane Alancraig

December 26th- Train Station by the Sea and Santa on Vacation

68. Treasures of the North Pearl by Barbara Amabile

My treasure chest was inspired by a pirate ship I made in 2014. The chest is filled with some antique treasures, Christmas décor, plus a few 2020 treasures! Our traditional bear is there too - he jumped ship and is social distancing on the beach! The chest is 16"w x 8"d x 14"h, made from gingerbread imprinted with a wood grain look and "stained" with brown food coloring. The metal straps, treasures (except chocolate coins), sea shells, and critters are made from fondant, or fondant covered rice

69. Ty's Peppermint House by Ty Usher-Folsom

Peppermint bark chips for roof shingles and red and green classic mints.

70. Victorian Christmas by Susan Rogers

I saw this house (the Carson mansion in Eureka, CA) in 2006. I thought it would be cool to make, but I didn't know how I would ever do it. My daughter finally convinced me (dared me) to make it. It's about 98% gingerbread. Windows are isomalt with wafer paper shades. There's a little pastillage and splenda for snow

71. Waterford House by Alla Ward

I took template from Gingerbread Exchange Community, Waterford house. This house was made as a display house for our local supermarket, as they allowed me to sell my gingerbread creations during Christmas holidays. It has candy glass windows, the fir trees made with ice-cream cones and green icing. And a bit of cake decorations. Snowman is made from fondant. Roof is made with cereal. I did not use any artificial candies to decorate this house. I made it simple)It has 5 LED lighting zones, so in

1. Farm House by Diane Alancraig

This house uses many candies purchased from the 99-cent store. The back of the house has a large garden with mushrooms, pumpkins and peas !!

2. Apocalypse 2020 by Mackswell Brooks

Inspiration: Spike pit, eye of Sauron Tower(s), peril like unto Lord of the Rings
Candy used: dummies, belly beans, candy canes sharpened into spikes, jelly beans

3. Bean Cottage by Alexis Zolner

I looked online for inspiration for a cottage with a curved roof and found a drawing posted on Pinterest "A Casa Dos Ursinhos" that I played around with. I built the house using foamcore first and using a scalpel, put slits in the roof so it would bend and follow the curve of the house. I laid hot gingerbread on top of the roof and it then took the shape of the roof. One side turned out better than the other. Beans are used to mimic stone walls and the windows are just square pretzels.

4. Calvin & Hobbes hijack The Polar Express by Marilyn Fausti

From 2008-2016 I made a display gingerbread house at work as encouragement for Toys for Tots donations. Since retiring, I have been displaying them in North Carolina at my local library, basing the GBH theme on a children's book. This year I used Chris Van Allsburg's The Polar Express as my inspiration and Calvin & Hobbes as my anti-heroes. The train is an actual toy (with a large Christmas bell on board), but the house is construction-grade gingerbread. The roof tiles are gingerbread cookies

5. Candy Cane Cottage by Dani Hansen

Candy Cane garland along the roof, peppermint candies and red gumdrops!

6. Candy Cane Lane by Andrew Forman

Candy Cane Lane is our interpretation of the Town Village Pattern on gingerbreadexchange.com. Once again, I was the gingerbread baker/assembler while my daughter was the designer and chief decorator. We used hard crack sugar for the windows (check out the bakery window with treats inside!), we melted jolly ranchers for the church stained glass, and used tons of candy canes and Big Red gum for paths. All trees and shrubs are made of royal icing. Check our process Meredith's TikTok, @meredith.eva

7. Christmas Carousel by Reggie Fleck

This was a bit tricky as I made my won template. I took my time assembling it and, thankfully, everything came together.

8. Christmas Cathedral by Elisa Highley

The entire cathedral is made of gingerbread, royal icing and gelatin for the windows. Because of how 2020 has been I wanted to create something to bring the spirit of Christmas alive. It is a large piece at 18 inches tall and 18 inches wide and is illuminated with lights.

9. Christmas Dreams by Cyndy Wieland

Who wouldn't want a puppy in a box for Christmas? Our Logo dog, George is the inspiration behind this gingerbread creation. George BP is now an 8 year old Samoyed, weighing in at 123 pounds. He is a real show stopper when it comes to meeting him. We can hardly go for walks due to constantly being stopped by people we meet along the way that either want to pet him or have questions they want to ask about him. Each side of this gingerbread creation has a puppy related theme. The first side ha

10. Christmas Under the Sea by Maryanne Garcia

Everything is gingerbread! I used colored sugar, sprinkles, gumballs, M&M's, red hot candies, fondant, royal icing, candy canes, graham cracker and spices (sand) and Swedish fish around the base.

11. Church before Christmas Eve Service by Linda Crow

My structure represents a small town church in the quiet, candle lit contemplation before parishioners gather.

12. Colorful Candy! by Kathy Mazza

My creation goes to a children’s hospital for their lobby holiday display. Knowing that people cannot linger in the lobby to look at tiny details - I decided to go with BIG color and candy so that even people hurrying by would be able to appreciate the whimsy of a candy house!

13. COVID Hospital by Melissa Brooks

Free tasty vaccines!

14. D'arcy's Classic Gingerbread Cottage by D'arcy Martin

I had so much fun lining the roof with stars and red and green sugar pearls! M&M along the front trim (yes I ate more than I put on the house lol!) and Hershey's kisses along the top of the roof. Ty made fun of my house, saying "Why do you have so many chimneys?" Peppermint bark chips for the window awnings. Red Hots for the front step. Christmas lights along the gutter. The best part was the gingerbread people from Pepperidge Farms!

15. Deck the Halls by Sam Crimmins

Went for an elegant design. Wilton sprinkles used to decorate flower boxes and door wreath. Fairy lights used to light up house and gelatine sheets used for windows.

16. Dilly, Dilly Castle by Tammy Graf

The theme started out as just a regular castle, but then the Superbowl hit so I changed the theme in honor of the RAMS. One of the NFL sponsors is Bud light and the "Bud Light Knight".(who is dressed in blue and silver) They have a sayings when they get a touchdown is DILLY DILLY. You will see on the banners outside the castle drawbridge it says Dilly Dilly. I played off the "Bud Light Knight"/ Castle theme. Its all Gingerbread (except for the 'knights') I used dark molassas for the castle.

17. Edna’s Winter Village by Edna Jopson

My inspiration for this was to use up supplies that I had on hand. I did not let myself buy anything I didn’t already have. I used gingerbread for the houses and covered them with fondant. I painted the houses with food color. Red licorice, gumdrops and white chocolate were used for street lamps. Foundation of the houses are chocolate rocks. Front steps are sweet tart lego like bricks coated with white Chocolate. Windows are melted Jolly Ranchers. Pretzel rods, gumdrops and spearmint drops were

18. Fountain Gingerbread House by Judith Lopes

This Gingerbread house has a working water fountain.

19. French Provincial Gingerbread House by Katie Tomkins

My entry was inspired by my travels to Provence a few years ago. Many of the older buildings feature French Provincial mansard roof lines. A Parisian law had been in place since 1783, restricting the heights of buildings to 20 metres. The height was only measured up to the cornice line, making any living space contained in a mansard roof exempt.
The gingerbread house and fencing is all hand piped, featuring no store-bought candy and no non-edible internal structure.
I hope you like it!

20. Front Line Workers by Sharon Buckwell

We didn't have a local contest this year so a bunch of us put up a display at the usual restaurant thanking front line workers. I made the stores with signs saying thank you. Because it wasn't a contest I did add non-edible trees.

21. Gingerbread and chocolate diorama by Robbie Cheadle

This diorama includes a large gingerbread mansion, a gingerbread house constructed and decorated by my 11 year old niece, a gingerbread chapel and four chocolate houses. The theme is A summer Christmas in South Africa. Each of the fairies in the diorama is a flower fairy. The small fairies are made from a jelly bean and fondant and the larger fairies are specific flowers, namely, buttercup fairies, roses fairies and the autumn fairy.

22. Gingerbread Bakery by Brittany Olivieri

Self drafted pattern for a shop front with open display windows. Made from construction grade gingerbread, covered in homemade Royal icing. Includes gingerbread “pastries,” melted hard candy windows, Pez brickwork, Nerd candy rock steps, wafer cookie chimney, bubble gum strip roof top, fondant poodle, black royal icing fencing, gumpaste table and chairs, and lots of sprinkles

23. Gingerbread Carousel by Monica Eskridge

Laser cut gingerbread with Royal icing

24. Gingerbread Doll House by MaryLou Bullerman

I was bored and thinking of not bothering to make a gingerbread house because I had made everything I could think of. My granddaughter suggested I make a doll house, because I love to decorate doll houses.

25. Gingerbread House 2020 filled with cake by Ashwini parab

My Gingerbread house is homemade. It is filled with cinnamon flavored cake filled and frosted with chocolate ganache. Gingerbread cookies individually decorated with royal icing, windows made with isomalt,mini m&m used for lighting on the front door, roof is decorated with fondant.

26. Gingerbread Manger Scene by Elizabeth McIntyre

This display is baked gingerbread with fondant figures. The magi and shepherds with their sheep surround the manger scene.

27. Gingersheen by Patrick Mulcahy

Gingersheen is a replica of the Glensheen Mansion in Duluth, MN. Everything is edible with the exception of the lights and the base. This mansion is loaded with Big Red Gum and even has Ju Ju Bee exterior lights that work!

28. Gnome for the Holidays by B. Michelle Howell

Started as a simple Old Mill with a lighted waterfall design. It soon took on a life of it's own. The base is ginger clay with isolmalt pond. The cottage and mill are gingerbread with sugar rods for support, royal icing, and cookies for roofing. The window is a gelatin sheet, and interior of the cottage has a candy rock fireplace, table and gingerbread "pie and cake". The ice blocks are rock candy, the gnomes are marzipan, and the 'fruitcake' is gingerbread and royal icing. Hope you enjoy,

29. Gooley Mountain Cottage by Shannon Gooley

Chocolate Rock Candy for stone walls; Ice cream Cones for trees; Pretzel Chairs; Fondant Roofing, Shutters and Walls embossed with wood pattern Royal Icing piped icicles; Royal Icing piped wreaths; Firewood logs made from pretzels; Skis and rack made from gum sticks and pretzels; campfire made from pretzels with a mini marshmallow colored orange for the fire and the circle of chocolate rock candy. Dusted with powdered sugar for snow.

30. H. G. Wells The Time Machine by Cheryl Barnhart

The theme was science fiction however perfectly fitting for 2020! The chair is made of gingerbread and the cushion is Rice Krispie ginger flour blend covered in fondant with Nonpareil’s as the buttons; the disc is gingerbread painted with food coloring and gold confetti sprinkles; pasta is used to support the control unit that is covered in fondant; pasta is also used as the wires behind the chair; the motor behind the chair is made of the krispie ginger mix covered in fondant;

31. Happy birthday, Jesus by Jeanne WAGGONER

32. Holiday Igloo by Linda Meigloo

gumdrop penguins, fondant narwhal, 100 gingerbread blocks!

33. Holiday Lighthouse by Katherine Carver

Gingerbread covered fondant with royal icing; decorations made from thyme, dill and rosemary.

34. Homage to my mom and dad by Karen Lundy

Ferguson's Bakery is chalk full of goods, and Eileen's greenhouse has poinsettia and Christmas cactuses. My parents passed away - Dad Gordon in 2008, and mom Eileen in 2015. I made this from scratch. Merry Christmas.

35. Home for the Holidays by Amata Small

I thought this was the perfect year to go all out on a gingerbread house since we don’t have holiday parties and other festivities. This house uses the Waterford pattern, which I first made in cardboard to adjust the design and ensure everything fit correctly. I used gum for the bricks and tried to recreate slate tiles using fondant. Since I used gelatin leaves for the windows, I decided I needed to decorate the interior with framed windows, a fireplace, tree, a couple of wreaths and some pretze

36. Hot Cocoa sale at 36 Gingerbread Lane! by Kate Bartoldus

My entry this year features 3 gingerbread kiddos anxiously awaiting customers for their hot cocoa stand at 36 Gingerbread Lane. Mom and Dad are keeping an eye at the top of the stone walkway. Three Christmas trees decorate the property while 2 festive dog houses can be found on the left side of the house just beyond the pond. A pointsettia fence lines the property. The house windows were made with crushed butterscotch candy, and the pond is crushed jolly rancher candy. I used ice cream cones for

37. Home. A place of refuge, rest, and care. by Monica Eskridge

The last few years I’ve gotten away from the Gingerbread House. From monuments to monoliths, the themes got larger in scale and scope, and the thought of “just a house” was boring. And then came 2020. Where home became everything - to everyone. It was where we were safest. Where we fed ourselves and rested ourselves. Where we comforted each other and frustrated each other. Where we held everything from fencing lessons to choir concerts. Cocktails to scavenger hunts. Workouts.

38. Jolly Ginger House by Rosalyn Kamuda

Homemade gingerbread and frosting, Jolly ranchers windows, and various candies.

39. Judy's Place by Judy Lopes

Everything is edible except the lights

40. La la la la, la la la la by Annie Skilling

Plain gingerbread house with gelatin cross hatched windows sitting in the snow.

41. Lakeside Cabin Christmas by Teena Ham

Lakeside Cabin Christmas is 100% edible, with the majority being gingerbread. The cabin is totally gingerbread, including the lattice. The beautiful blue color was achieved by brushing the walls with edible color dust. Fondant roofing covers the gingerbread ‘wood’ panels, and the landscaping was created with gingerbread crumbs incorporated in a basic rice krispy treat blend. Royal icing decorated sugar cones for trees and fondant water and snow. The Christmas lights are candy coated sunflower se

42. Mar's Ratchet Peppermint Place by Ana Brooks

Theme: swirly peppermint designs. Materials: gingerbread, royal icing, mini candy canes, peppermints.
Methinks it's not a bad first attempt!

43. Mid Century Modern Retreat by Julie Kim

Modern gingerbread home using the DWR gingerbread house template. A few touches to make it a little more interesting!!

44. Mistletoe Manor by Jackie de Broise

I am a home baker who was asked to design and build this for a baking kit company that started up in the UK, to promote mindfulness during lockdown.
This house was made to show what could be done with their top of the range gingerbread kit. The extensive kit came with design consultancy and support from the team and myself - soliciting interest from the pastry chef of an Arab Diplomat!
I decided to go with an English Georgian Manor design.
The build includes quality baking ingredients, includi

45. Muskegon Union Depot by Ronda Bowman

I fell in love with this building the first time I saw it and decided to make it from gingerbread. It is completely edible except for the light system inside. All the gingerbread is covered with fondant, the windows are butterscotch candy, and the shingles are made of gum painted with food color. It was the most challenging roof system I've ever made, and so satisfying to complete! I began drawing the plan a month ago, and have worked on it in my spare time since.

46. North Pole Express by Laurel Smiley

Pulling into station, it’s The North Pole Express! Our gingerbread train carries homemade confections through the snowy mountains. Built by The Gingerbread Sisters, Kyndall & Laurel, this display is made using gingerbread, royal icing, & isomalt windows.

47. Notre-Dame by Pauliina Hänninen

It's gingerbread replica of Notre Dame de Paris. It's made of normal gingerbread dough and decorated with royal icing. There's a series of LED lights inside the building.

48. Orangerie/Greenhouse by Lillian Rohrer

Because of Covid19, my granddaughter was not able to help me this year so I decided to work with a simpler template. The beautiful turn-of-the 19th century greenhouse in our village was the inspiration. The "orangerie" is a minimally decorated gingerbread greenhouse with surprises inside. The windows are gelatine sheets; some of the trees use ice cream cones coated with green royal icing and other greenery is created with pressed and sculpted green rice crispy treats. The poinsettias are mad

49. Pretty in Pink by Norah Brooks

Inspiration: Pink baby showers; Candy used: candy melts, gingerbread, royal icing, candy canes, cinnamon bears, peppermints, Good and Plenty

50. Protests, Red Church, Minsk, Belarus by Velida Kent

I was inspired by Belarusian people who rose up against the president Lukashenka, who stole the elections. Some people were killed and the opposition leaders are in jail.

51. Quarantine Dream by Deanna McKinney

Inspired by the Wedding Cake House in New Orleans. Created a pattern out of cardboard. Roof is grey fondant cut in 1 inch squares, windows are gelatin sheets, siding and trim is all done in white fondant, columns are gingerbread covered with royal icing, bushes and 2 larger trees made with green colored rice krispy treats, fence is made with kind bars, white chocolate pretzel stars, tootsie rolls and sour cherries. Railing was made with royal icing scraped with decorating comb on wax paper unt

52. Ricky by Truman Brooks

Inspiration: A nice black lab dog
Materials: Rainbow strips, dummies, peppermint candies, pretzels

53. Rose Hall by Rob Kent de Grey

For a few years, we've been building a gingerbread house to decorate over Thanksgiving weekend. This year's house reminds me of the Renaissance carol "Down in Yon Forest." The house's stained glass windows include four in the traditional rose style, as well as a fifth larger rose window featuring its namesake flower. Some clear windows are bordered by colored candy glass tiles. Climbing ivy on the porte-cochère is echoed by festive swags and garlands. The house is approximately three feet long,

54. Santa has arrived by Diane Alancraig

We used a combination of marshmallows and royal icing to create the smoke for the train and chimney

55. Santa in Quarantine by Julie Andreacola

This piece illustrates life living during Covid pandemic. Santa put on some extra pounds with his room full of toilet paper, amazon boxes, bread and wine bottles. Outside, the elves are doing Covid testing

56. Santa's flight from the North Pole Lighthouse by Al Septien

We used Poppy Sticks and sliced gumdrops in half for a different look on the roof

57. Ski Holiday by Gina Vito

Our theme was a ski resort because I use to take my niece and nephews skiing Christmas Vacation. Sunday River is where I taught them to ski. The green trail, Broadway, was their first trail they learned on and Right Stuff was their first black diamond. We used sticks of gum cut and shaped for the skis, pretzels for the ski rack, a gingerbread mold for the skiers. Jolly ranchers for the stained glass windows. This was pretty

58. South 2nd Street Springfield IL by Mary Hudgins

There is a house in Springfield that is similar to the Heidi's Haunted House pattern. I used that pattern with some adaptions, including moving the tower to the front of the house, to make this year's gingerbread house. I always think Hansel and Gretel and try to use as many different candy types as I can.

59. Stained Glass Gingerbread House by Jim Tinkham

The Gingerbread was made from scratch and is a tried & true recipe that Jim has perfected over the years. The stained glass windows are made from gummy bears baked into the dough. The light shinning through the windows is an added treat! All decorations are 100% edible . The house took 25-30 hours to complete.

60. Taffy's Gingerbread Dog House by Elizabeth McIntyre

The display is how I imagine my dog Taffy would build a gingerbread doghouse. Everything is baked gingerbread including the snowflakes and gingerbread buttons on her sweater. If you look in the mirror you'll see she had to use her bone to prop up her building and she's also left some powdered sugar footprints for me to clean up! The colors were added with dry and wet powder dusts.

61. Thank you medical staff by Sarah Cummings

This entry was part of a joint theme, thanking front line workers of many types in the fight against covid 19. This entry is the hospital, in thanks to the tireless medical staff keeping so many alive, and fighting this pandemic.

62. The Captain's House by Annette Brown

Based on a house along the coast of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, I love to imagine that it was built by a retired sea captain who wanted to overlook the bay. It is fully edible including candy glass windows.

63. The DeSoto Hotel by Amanda Marks

I decided to build the hotel I work at for a Gingerbread Competition. I built in in 5 days (little sleep was had). I did not use much candy on the piece, I did use modeling chocolate which is quite tasty. My dogs also found the gingerbread pieces very tasty, I lost a wall and a statue to them. All in all it was a crazy undertaking that left me with little sleep for almost a week. All in all, I am happy with the end product.

64. The Holly and the Ivy by Rachel Delany

This was my first non-traditional gingerbread house! I painted the pieces with white food coloring to look like stucco and added Ivy and garlands. The brick is made of starbursts and the roof is made of fondant. I used gelatin sheets for the windows and added fairy lights to the inside. There are two Christmas trees housed inside. The double wraparound porches have almond slice flooring, candy cane support poles, and wrought iron fencing made from spaghetti covered in royal icing.

65. The Row Houses by Alec Septien

Edible Butterflies, Necco wafers and plenty of royal icing

66. The Streets of David’s Town by Beverly Cutler

My creation is based on a German candle arch . It consists of 10 gingerbread cookies cut with an xacto knife .The candle oldies and candles are made of fondant and the candle wicks are made of spaghetti. The back ground is painted with food color gel and sprinkled with edible glitter . The letters are stamped with cookie letter stamps and painted It lights up at night to make a shadow box

67. Train Station by the Sea and Santa on Vacation by Diane Alancraig

December 26th- Train Station by the Sea and Santa on Vacation

68. Treasures of the North Pearl by Barbara Amabile

My treasure chest was inspired by a pirate ship I made in 2014. The chest is filled with some antique treasures, Christmas décor, plus a few 2020 treasures! Our traditional bear is there too - he jumped ship and is social distancing on the beach! The chest is 16"w x 8"d x 14"h, made from gingerbread imprinted with a wood grain look and "stained" with brown food coloring. The metal straps, treasures (except chocolate coins), sea shells, and critters are made from fondant, or fondant covered rice

69. Ty's Peppermint House by Ty Usher-Folsom

Peppermint bark chips for roof shingles and red and green classic mints.

70. Victorian Christmas by Susan Rogers

I saw this house (the Carson mansion in Eureka, CA) in 2006. I thought it would be cool to make, but I didn't know how I would ever do it. My daughter finally convinced me (dared me) to make it. It's about 98% gingerbread. Windows are isomalt with wafer paper shades. There's a little pastillage and splenda for snow

71. Waterford House by Alla Ward

I took template from Gingerbread Exchange Community, Waterford house. This house was made as a display house for our local supermarket, as they allowed me to sell my gingerbread creations during Christmas holidays. It has candy glass windows, the fir trees made with ice-cream cones and green icing. And a bit of cake decorations. Snowman is made from fondant. Roof is made with cereal. I did not use any artificial candies to decorate this house. I made it simple)It has 5 LED lighting zones, so in

2020 GBD On-line Holiday Gingerbread-Smackdown

The People have voted and results have been counted! Below are the winners of the 2020 GBD On-line Holiday Gingerbread-Smackdown photo contest!

Click here to view all the entries!

Gingerbread Smackdown 2020white.jpg

2020 Overall People's Choice

Victorian Christmas by Susan Rogers wins the 2020 Overall People's Choice Award.

Susan writes...I saw this house (the Carson mansion in Eureka, CA) in 2006. I thought it would be cool to make, but I didn't know how I would ever do it. My daughter finally convinced me (dared me) to make it. It's about 98% gingerbread. Windows are isomalt with wafer paper shades. There's a little pastillage and splenda for snow.

2020 GBD Gingerbread-Smackdown - Overall People's Choice Award - Victorian Christmas by Susan Rogers

2020 People's Choice - Favorite Church/Manger

2020 GBD Gingerbread-Smackdown - People's Choice - Favorite Church/Manger Award - Gingerbread Manger Scene by Elizabeth McIntyre

Gingerbread Manger Scene by Elizabeth McIntyre wins the

2020 People's Choice - Favorite Church/Manger Award.

Elizabeth writes....This display is baked gingerbread with fondant figures. The magi and shepherds with their sheep surround the manger scene.

2020 People's Choice - Favorite Original Gingerbread

Holiday Lighthouse by Katherine Carver wins the 2020 People's Choice - Favorite Original Gingerbread Award.

Katherine writes...Gingerbread covered fondant with royal icing; decorations made from thyme, dill and rosemary.

2020 GBD Gingerbread-Smackdown - People's Choice - Favorite Original Gingerbread Award - Holiday Lighthouse by Katherine Carver

2020 People's Choice - Favorite Use of Frosting

2020 GBD Gingerbread-Smackdown - People's Choice - Favorite Use of Frosting - North Pole Express by Laurel Smiley

North Pole Express by Laurel Smiley wins the

2020 People's Choice - Favorite Use of Frosting.

Laurel writes...Pulling into station, it’s The North Pole Express! Our gingerbread train carries homemade confections through the snowy mountains. Built by The Gingerbread Sisters, Kyndall & Laurel, this display is made using gingerbread, royal icing, & isomalt windows.

2020 People's Choice - Favorite Winter Themed Scene

Stained Glass Gingerbread House by Jim Tinkham wins the 2020 People's Choice - Favorite Winter Themed Scene Award.

Jim writes...The Gingerbread was made from scratch and is a tried & true recipe that Jim has perfected over the years. The stained glass windows are made from gummy bears baked into the dough. The light shinning through the windows is an added treat! All decorations are 100% edible . The house took 25-30 hours to complete.

2020 GBD Gingerbread-Smackdown - People's Choice - Favorite Winter Themed Scene Award - Stained Glass Gingerbread House by Jim Tinkham

2020 People's Choice - Favorite Gingerbread Mansion

2020 GBD Gingerbread-Smackdown - People's Choice - Favorite Gingerbread Mansion Award - Rose Hall by Rob Kent de Grey

Rose Hall by Rob Kent de Grey wins the

2020 People's Choice - Favorite Gingerbread Mansion.

Rob writes...For a few years, we've been building a gingerbread house to decorate over Thanksgiving weekend. This year's house reminds me of the Renaissance carol "Down in Yon Forest." The house's stained glass windows include four in the traditional rose style, as well as a fifth larger rose window featuring its namesake flower. Some clear windows are bordered by colored candy glass tiles. Climbing ivy on the porte-cochère is echoed by festive swags and garlands. The house is approximately three feet long, two feet deep, and two feet tall. It is 100% edible apart from the lighting and the display platform.

2020 People's Choice - Favorite Architectural Replication

Victorian Christmas by Susan Rogers wins the 2020 People's Choice - Favorite Architectural Replication Award.

Susan writes...I saw this house (the Carson mansion in Eureka, CA) in 2006. I thought it would be cool to make, but I didn't know how I would ever do it. My daughter finally convinced me (dared me) to make it. It's about 98% gingerbread. Windows are isomalt with wafer paper shades. There's a little pastillage and splenda for snow.

By Burley Packwood - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org

2020 GBD Gingerbread-Smackdown - People's Choice - Favorite Architectural Replication Award - Victorian Christmas by Susan Rogers

By Burley Packwood - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,

2020 People's Choice - Favorite Classic Cottage

2020 GBD Gingerbread-Smackdown - People's Choice - Favorite Classic Cottage Award - Home. A place of refuge, rest, and care by Monica Eskridge

Home. A place of refuge, rest, and care by Monica Eskridge wins the

People's Choice - Favorite Classic Cottage Award.

Monica writes...The last few years I’ve gotten away from the Gingerbread House. From monuments to monoliths, the themes got larger in scale and scope, and the thought of “just a house” was boring. And then came 2020. Where home became everything - to everyone. It was where we were safest. Where we fed ourselves and rested ourselves. Where we comforted each other and frustrated each other. Where we held everything from fencing lessons to choir concerts. Cocktails to scavenger hunts. Workouts. Talent shows. Birthdays. Weddings. Funerals.
The concept of the home is universal, but we all define it differently. Whatever your home has been through this time, I hope you remember it and cherish it for what it is—the creeky floors or the shiny knobs or the leaky roof that you never got fixed last year when contractors were still allowed inside and you were too lazy because it didn’t seem like that big a deal. As 2020 comes to a close and many of us find ourselves back in the confines of our home, I hope you will find all the joy and comfort your home provides. Happy Holidays!

2020 People's Choice - Favorite Use of Candy

2020 GBD Gingerbread-Smackdown - People's Choice - Favorite Use of Candy Award - Farm House by Diane Alancraig

Farm House by Diane Alancraig wins the

People's Choice - Favorite Use of Candy Award.

Diane writes...This house uses many candies purchased from the 99-cent store. The back of the house has a large garden with mushrooms, pumpkins and peas !!

2020 People's Choice - Favorite Non-Structure Gingerbread Display

Christmas Under the Sea by Maryanne Garcia wins the People's Choice - Favorite Non-Structure Gingerbread Display Award.

Maryanne writes...Everything is gingerbread! I used colored sugar, sprinkles, gumballs, M&M's, red hot candies, fondant, royal icing, candy canes, graham cracker and spices (sand) and Swedish fish around the base.

2020 GBD Gingerbread-Smackdown - People's Choice - Favorite Non-Structure Gingerbread Display Award - Christmas Under the Sea by Maryanne Garcia

2020 People's Choice - Favorite COVID Theme

2020 GBD Gingerbread-Smackdown - People's Choice - Favorite COVID Theme Award - Front Line Workers by Sharon Buckwell

Front Line Workers by Sharon Buckwell wins the

People's Choice - Favorite COVID Theme Award.

Sharon writes...We didn't have a local contest this year so a bunch of us put up a display at the usual restaurant thanking front line workers. I made the stores with signs saying thank you. Because it wasn't a contest I did add non-edible trees.

2020 People's Choice - Favorite use of a Gingerbread-By-Design Template

Home for the Holidays by Amata Small wins the 2020 People's Choice - Favorite use of a Gingerbread-By-Design Template Award.

Amata writes...I thought this was the perfect year to go all out on a gingerbread house since we don’t have holiday parties and other festivities. This house uses the Waterford pattern, which I first made in cardboard to adjust the design and ensure everything fit correctly. I used gum for the bricks and tried to recreate slate tiles using fondant. Since I used gelatin leaves for the windows, I decided I needed to decorate the interior with framed windows, a fireplace, tree, a couple of wreaths and some pretzel furniture. It was a joy to make and made this year!

2020 GBD Gingerbread-Smackdown - People's Choice - Favorite use of a Gingerbread-By-Design Template Award - Home for the Holidays by Amata Small

Congratulations to all!

Watch for the 2021 GBD Online Halloween Gingerbread-Smackdown in October 2021, and the 2021 GBD On-line

Holiday Gingerbread-Smackdown in December 2021!