GINGERBREAD HOUSE CONTEST RULES
Last update: 12/3/2025
- Gingerbread houses must be completed on site on Saturday, December 6 or Sunday, December 7, 2025.
- First, Second, and People's choice winners will be awarded on Saturday, December 13, 2025 at 7:15pm.
- Participants do not need to be present to win. Those who would like to be present must be registered for Yuletide Lantern Light Evening.
- Announcements of prize winners will also be broadcast on Facebook Live.
- Prizes TBD.
- Participants who would like to pick up their gingerbread houses may do so from 8-8:30pm on December 13 at the Union Meeting House.
- Gingerbread kits are provided by ESE/Storrowton Village Museum and include:
- Graham cracker squares (8)
- Assorted color gum drops (12)
- Mini candy canes (2)
- Mini marshmallows (1oz)
- Mini m&m candies (1.5oz)
- White icing (6oz)
- Crushed peppermint
- Graham crackers and icing provided must be used as the main base of the house and cannot be replaced by any other items.
- All provided items must be incorporated in the gingerbread house in some way, but the full stock provided does not have to be used.
- Tin foil will be provided to assist with structural needs. Tin foil cannot be visible when the gingerbread house is complete.
- Participants may provide their own additional supplies. All items must be edible. Additional items may include, but are not limited to: pretzels, cookies, candies, gingerbread figures, etc.
- You will have 60 minutes to complete your house. Once your scheduled time concludes no further additions may be made to your Gingerbread house.
- Entries are encouraged to fit into the following thematic areas: a) “Agriculture is our culture” theme, or b) a traditional holiday design. The entry does not necessarily have to be in the shape of a traditional “house.”
- All visible components of the display must be edible. For example, plastic wrapped candies must be unwrapped; tin foil bases should be entirely covered with edible materials, etc.
- The provided base must be used, but does not need to be fully covered with edible material.
- Children under 12 years of age must be a accompanied by an adult to participate.
- Refunds are not available if your plans change. We cannot guarantee we can change your decorating date/time, but if space is available we will work to accommodate participants on a first-come, first-served basis.
- ESE/SVM reserves the right to not display an entry considered to be inappropriate or not show quality. All displays must be family-friendly.
JUDGING CRITERIA MAY INCLUDE, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
Construction: Square walls, sealed roof, proportion, hidden/invisible seams, complete use of board
Creativity: Individual elements, level of detail, execution of theme, novel use of materials