Page 46 - Allison's Magazine ~ Issue #99

and constructed of at least 75 percent
gingerbread. Entries sitting on their base
can be no larger than twenty-four inches
tall or wide. And, despite the moniker,
the art of you don’t have to create a house.

GINGERBREAD Competitors can enter their creations
into one of four age-based categories:
adult (18 and older), teen (13–17),
written by matthew brady
photography by the omni park grove inn youth (9–12), and child (5–8). The
entries are then judged on overall
appearance, originality and creativity,
difficulty, precision, and consistency
of theme. Thirteen prizes, worth
over $25,000 in total (including
over $10,000 in monetary prizes) are
awarded: first, second, and third place
in each category, plus one for whoever
traveled the farthest. The adult category’s
grand-prize package includes $5,000
and a complimentary stay at The Omni
Grove Park Inn, where the competition and NPR. Every year, though, the
is held. competitors and The Omni staff both
put a lot of effort into it, and it shows—
In 2018, that was the reward for in many ways.
North Carolinians Julie and Michael
Andreacola, who took top prize “Five thousand dollars is amazing, but
with their entry "Gearing up for you don’t give that much of your life,
Christmas"—which featured working your holiday time, and your passion if
gears made of gingerbread. Catherine you don’t love gingerbread—and these
Beddall of Ottawa, Ontario, earned people love it, live it, and breathe it,”
second place with her intricate "Hickory, says Tracey Johnston-Crum, director
Dickory, Dock" clock, and third place of public relations and community
went to Grier Rubeling, also from North outreach for The Omni Grove Park Inn.
Carolina, who created the whimsical “Some people dedicate four hundred or
"Reindeer Playing Poker." The first-place five hundred working hours to them.
teen winners, Courtland High School It’s similar to dog shows or horse shows
German Club from Virginia, won for or Comic-Con, where there’s almost a
FOR MANY, THE SIGHTS, SMELLS, AND When this event started, though, it the fifth time with its “Old Towne subculture; in fact, they created their
tastes of the holidays instantly remind wasn’t a competition: the gingerbread Trolley Tour.” own private Facebook group called
them of happy memories and make houses were created for display. Gingerfriends. They have to be part of
the season even grander. Gingerbread However, someone ended up asking who BEYOND THE BATTLE this culture, and that passion shows in
Pictured Above:
Guest judge and celebrity chef Carla Hall inspects certainly falls into this category—and won, so a winner was declared. Overall, the twenty-sixth annual the work.”
the gingerbread creations at the National
Gingerbread House Competition. one place that celebrates it like no other National Gingerbread House
is the National Gingerbread House Twenty-seven years later, a lot has Competition was another smashing Johnston-Crum concedes that, for this
Pictured Opposite Page:
A gingerbread bonsai tree is observed by judge Competition, which has been delighting changed—including a very specific set success, with 190 gingerbread creations reason, it’s easy to experience the highs
Nadine Orenstein.
competitors and visitors alike in of rules now in place. For example, each entered and the event being covered by and lows with the competitors. “The
Asheville, North Carolina, since 1992. display must be made of edible materials media outlets like NBC, Food Network, hardest part of the entire competition is

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