Yes, It goes from kindergarten all the way to professional. Some are definitely better than others. I go every year and am always amazed. I can't even get a house to stand, let alone decorate it.
So what happens with fancy gingerbread houses in the long run? Leave it for a month and then... trash or compost? Are they safe to eat? Good to eat? Can I come over?
I hope one day they get to! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that you spend all that time planning, making, and building and then are like “someone destroy this, violently”. It’s very zen.
They're usually safe to eat, but they're not usually particularly good to eat. More made for structural integrity and visual appeal than edibility. Good eatin' gingerbread is a bit too soft to build a house out of. Candy decorations can be delicious though.
Thank you. If people find their own way to the site, that's fine. I just don't want to share other people's work without their permission, especially if there could be negative comments.
I think I found the elite category houses. I think yours is better than the one that won based on the candy print windows. I think, that those always cheapify the houses. The piping on that house is incredible though and might have a slight edge on you.
The second place elite category has really good piping and edge work but it’s just a standard ginger bread house with nothing that knocks my socks off but is flashy to look at.
Overall I think you should’ve gotten second place but I wouldn’t be upset if you got first since yours is solid overall, just a little less flashy on the piping. You definitely have a really creative house though!You’re really good! I love your house!
Edit: If it’s the penguins that won, throw away the competition because you were robbed lol
You have it right as far as the winners. I’ve asked for years what their criteria is and who the judges are and they have never told me a thing. We compete completely blind.
I only found 2nd place on FB, and 1st place on Insta.
All 3 winners each have impressive elements. 1st place has crazy detailed painting(?) done with I'm assuming edible paint and sugar glass windows. 2nd place seems to have doily-looking frosting/sugar details, perhaps more we can't see on the roof from that angle. And OP's 3rd place has the most beautiful structure/creatively-shaped house imo.
My favorites are 1st and 3rd but I can see at least some merit in each one
OP one looks fine, but it’s largely fondant cut-outs overlaid on the cookies. First place is piped royal icing, painted cookies, has shingled almond roof, seemingly sugar panes on windows, etc. It may not look as bright and neat, but it is more varied and traditional in its decorating techniques and still looks good. It’s probably easy to justify.
Nah first place is a lot more realistic and the detailing is excellent. OP’s, I can tell it’s a candy house. Not to say it isn’t fantastic, but I absolutely see why the other one got first place. Attention to detail is phenomenal on it
Now you guys are making me think of other silly gingerbread houses. Statue of Liberty would be hard but funny. Pyramids of Egypt would be easy but funny too.
Right?? I can’t imagine this getting 3rd place and not 1st! I was thinking first place had to be like, a life-size Victorian house wired for plumbing and electricity lol. Hogwarts also qualifies.
Please tell me this isn't really the first place. OP got robbed if that's true! Don't get me wrong, this is still a very pretty and impressive gingerbread house but there's so much more detail and creativity in OPs house. OPs gingerbread house is STUNNING meanwhile this one is just... nice, you know?
This is beautiful! I am not American (I am Polish) but the gingerbread house reached our shores, and my daughter wants to do this. We will use yours as an insoiration.
I infer the guy's a teacher so he's been exposed to a mind-numbing amount of "67" jokes from kids (a recent gibberish meme), so explicitly writing down the numbers of attempts 6 and 7 and wincing at the connection.
Wow - if that’s 3rd place I’d love to see 1st and 2nd….
(That’s a long way of saying your “house” is probably the most amazing gingerbread creation I’ve ever seen…. and I’ve been to the White House during Christmas for reference [not a brag]).
I can’t share them. It wouldn’t be right without their permission. I think one is deserving of a high place as it was all hand piped royal icing and immaculately neat. First place I’m less convinced of.
I love how like high level craftsmanship into to something to cute is here, but the same humanity of OP talking smack on 2nd place still in here is FRYING me
ok, how many years did it take for you to get to this level? curious as to how you got to this point.. i love gingerbread houses and although i love baking, have never piped a cake much less created such a work of art like what you created! I would love to get started somehow but not sure how to go about that.
Participated in a gingerbread house competition at a museum once a few years ago. There was a comp for adults and for children it was shocking how many were kits! (The children’s comp gets a pass on that. It’s more how the chose to decorate and express themselves)
We worked as a team and it took several hours and days, if not weeks, of planning and baking. We made a whole little mountain village on the allotted base. Most of the village including the mountains were 2-d and a few significant buildings in the town square were fully 3-d with elaborate decor. Used melted gummies for stained glass. Absolutely gorgeous! First place :) donated the winnings.
What won 1st and 2nd? They’ve got to be stunning if this placed behind them. This is incredible!
I don’t want to doxx them. I think one of them is stunning. The other I’m less convinced about. Mine isn’t as neat as I strive for.
Is this at the history museum? I think I saw this
If it’s in a city starting with F then you did. Small world!
Funkytown?
Yes
Nice
I can't even read that word without thinking of the video anymore, damn internet
Same. ☹️
Won't you take me to?
FUNKY TOWNNNNN
Won’t you take me to?
FUNKY TOWNNNNN
Won't you take me down?
I here it's a good place to get some Cold Medina.
Fran Sansisco?
Forth worth?
Fresno
Well, that’s your problem right there. As astounding as this house is, it is need of a little more funk. (Well done)
You're a towel.
Filadelphia?
jk
Fleveland
Fhicago
Flavortown
Few York
Faint Louis
Flip Flip Flipadelphia
flip flip flipadelphia!
Yep! Loved your work. Really cool!
Then you’ve seen the others. I haven’t gotten down there yet.
Yes, It goes from kindergarten all the way to professional. Some are definitely better than others. I go every year and am always amazed. I can't even get a house to stand, let alone decorate it.
There's one Pre-K to 2nd grade house that was clearly not made by a kid. Such a weird thing to lie about.
my birthday is right before christmas and at my birthday parties we always decorated ginger bread houses. my dad hot glued them together.
Recognized it immediately. We go nearly every year, but didn’t make it this year. Well done!
I grew up in a town that starts with F that has a house that looks just like this ... I'm dying to know if you're there
Fran Sansisco
It's a town with two names. The second starts with W.
Flos Wangeles
I read this in Little Chefs voice
Fort Worth
Nope different place. Just shockingly similar house
An F? There’s a promising letter.
Fondant? Fogerty? Fortescue?
The elusive Mr. F
for British eyes only! 🎶
Mrs Jennings you are a treasure!
I love how many upvotes this has and the proof of overlap between this sub and Brit lit
I love it too. This made me so happy for some reason. I haven't seen that movie in a while but loved all the characters ❤️
I’m so happy that you guys understood the assignment! I love both versions (1995 and 2008). They’re such great comfort watch.
My family loved your house! Indeed a small world. Checking out the gingerbread houses is one of our favorite Christmas traditions.
Flavortown?
It’s Fort Wayne
Fartville?
So what happens with fancy gingerbread houses in the long run? Leave it for a month and then... trash or compost? Are they safe to eat? Good to eat? Can I come over?
I don’t eat them. I take them to my Middle School where I teach and we raise money and the kids get to destroy it with a plastic hammer.
As a teacher....brilliant.
On behalf of every middle schooler ever, may I suggest fireworks instead of hammer?
Or a drop from a height. Involve math somehow…. For the educational worth!
Catapult/trebuchet! You can do lessons on parabolic trajectories and also medieval siege engineering.
Some little ones to attack it, then a big one to throw it!
Our math teacher wants to do this.
I hope one day they get to! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that you spend all that time planning, making, and building and then are like “someone destroy this, violently”. It’s very zen.
It’s cathartic. It’s too big to keep anyway.
They're usually safe to eat, but they're not usually particularly good to eat. More made for structural integrity and visual appeal than edibility. Good eatin' gingerbread is a bit too soft to build a house out of. Candy decorations can be delicious though.
Unless yours is tiny by comparison, they probably don't live there for anyone to come knocking.
Yours is AHHmazing!!!!
I like the other two but yours is still much better in my humble opinion.
Thank you. If people find their own way to the site, that's fine. I just don't want to share other people's work without their permission, especially if there could be negative comments.
I think that’s very kind and considerate and sent nosey people like me on a mission which lead me to the gingerbread festival and it’s a lot of fun!
Incredible work, you should share the great smashing too
I think I found the elite category houses. I think yours is better than the one that won based on the candy print windows. I think, that those always cheapify the houses. The piping on that house is incredible though and might have a slight edge on you.
The second place elite category has really good piping and edge work but it’s just a standard ginger bread house with nothing that knocks my socks off but is flashy to look at.
Overall I think you should’ve gotten second place but I wouldn’t be upset if you got first since yours is solid overall, just a little less flashy on the piping. You definitely have a really creative house though!You’re really good! I love your house!
Edit: If it’s the penguins that won, throw away the competition because you were robbed lol
You have it right as far as the winners. I’ve asked for years what their criteria is and who the judges are and they have never told me a thing. We compete completely blind.
If it matters, this is the greatest gingerbread house I’ve ever seen in my long life. I’d even call it a gingerbread…home.
Gingerbread mansion!
Posting a picture of their gingerbread house is doxing? Do they live in it too??? Otherwise what???
You were robbed! I have to say that the first place winner is pretty, but the use of printed materials in those windows brought it down imho.
Signed, a person in (state redacted)
All the pictures are availiable on fb…
I know but if I share them and people dog on them, I’d feel awful. I wouldn’t want someone doing that to me.
You're good people.
I think you're doing the right thing. Thank you for that. 🫡
Well, you won 1st place on Reddit. 🏆
The whole thing actually occurred inside of the 1st prize house. It's that big.
lmfao
Literally thought the SAME!!!
This is in the Fort Wayne History Center, they made a Facebook post about the winners
https://www.facebook.com/fwhistorycenter/posts/the-history-center-offers-congratulations-to-the-winners-of-the-2025-festival-of/1398834515585611/
The link you sent actually doesn't have the winning house from OPs category. I found it here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DSKyeKlkS3e/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
I only found 2nd place on FB, and 1st place on Insta.
All 3 winners each have impressive elements. 1st place has crazy detailed painting(?) done with I'm assuming edible paint and sugar glass windows. 2nd place seems to have doily-looking frosting/sugar details, perhaps more we can't see on the roof from that angle. And OP's 3rd place has the most beautiful structure/creatively-shaped house imo.
My favorites are 1st and 3rd but I can see at least some merit in each one
OP's is better and more impressive than 1st place, imo.
OP one looks fine, but it’s largely fondant cut-outs overlaid on the cookies. First place is piped royal icing, painted cookies, has shingled almond roof, seemingly sugar panes on windows, etc. It may not look as bright and neat, but it is more varied and traditional in its decorating techniques and still looks good. It’s probably easy to justify.
Nah first place is a lot more realistic and the detailing is excellent. OP’s, I can tell it’s a candy house. Not to say it isn’t fantastic, but I absolutely see why the other one got first place. Attention to detail is phenomenal on it
The Penguin Point one is perfect for Fort Wayne haha
I literally just said the same to hubby hahaa
Seriously!! This house is perfect
Looks gorgeous!! Congratulations 🎉🎊
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Full size Taj Mahal
Now you guys are making me think of other silly gingerbread houses. Statue of Liberty would be hard but funny. Pyramids of Egypt would be easy but funny too.
It deserves first place
Lmao!!
I read this, pictures a Taj mahal scale replica, and moved on.
Like a minute later it hit me that you said full size and I got a good chuckle.
My thoughts exactly- 1 and 2 must be insane because this one is amazeballs.
TRIPLE AMAZEBALLS
They prefaced it with "For your consideration: My 7yr old made this but his mother said it sucks."
There's really no defense against that.
Right?? I can’t imagine this getting 3rd place and not 1st! I was thinking first place had to be like, a life-size Victorian house wired for plumbing and electricity lol. Hogwarts also qualifies.
This was 1st: https://imgur.com/a/4fgH6Yh
Please tell me this isn't really the first place. OP got robbed if that's true! Don't get me wrong, this is still a very pretty and impressive gingerbread house but there's so much more detail and creativity in OPs house. OPs gingerbread house is STUNNING meanwhile this one is just... nice, you know?
OP’s got points deducted for code violations. There was some faulty licorice wiring in the walls and it’s not handicap accessible.
Wiring will get you every time!
I mean the Windows are amazing.
When someone’s gingerbread house looks WAYYYY better than my actual house….
This looks AMAZING!!
Same, my friend. Same.
In fairness to the builders, it's easier to work on gingerbread scale.
This is beautiful! I am not American (I am Polish) but the gingerbread house reached our shores, and my daughter wants to do this. We will use yours as an insoiration.
Aw thanks! I spend every summer in Poland. :)
What's the story on that? Wife has some polish family that she wants to visit but Poland in summer has never been a high wish list lol.
I coordinate exchanges between my city and our sister city in Poland so I get to go. It's great. I love Poland.
FWIW the gingerbread house is European in origin, not American.
Looks awesome to me! Can’t believe only 3rd place. How did you learn how to get so good at making the house?
This is my 6th or 7th (please don’t) gingerbread house so I’ve got some practice. So mostly practice!
Seeing your comment about teaching further up and then the (please don’t) in this comment was exquisite environmental storytelling
I know, right? Genuine LOL from me that I had to explain point by point to my friend.
I don't get the joke either.
I infer the guy's a teacher so he's been exposed to a mind-numbing amount of "67" jokes from kids (a recent gibberish meme), so explicitly writing down the numbers of attempts 6 and 7 and wincing at the connection.
Ah, thank you!
6 -7, according to the yutes
If adults started saying that, we can kill the trend by making it uncool.
This is true - my kids CANT STAND when I beat them to it.
How the hell do you get it to look so smooth? I can never put frosting on a cookie without it looking sloppy! What’s the secret?
It’s not frosting, it’s gum paste. Also royal icing can be made to be really smooth in flood consistency. It takes practice though.
You can make the smoothest icing for cookies by adding a little water to royal icing (recipe by Preppy Kitchen). It needs to lay flat until it dries.
"please don't"
Lmaooooo I feel your pain!
did 1st and 2nd place make a gingerbread mansion and a gingerbread castle or something? this looks amazing
I think one of the two definitely deserved it because that one was all hand piped royal icing and immaculate.
What the heck did 1 and 2 look like then?! lol
(Yours is incredible)
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This is in the Fort Wayne History Center, they made a Facebook post about the winners
https://www.facebook.com/fwhistorycenter/posts/the-history-center-offers-congratulations-to-the-winners-of-the-2025-festival-of/1398834515585611/
I wish I could see them all without a damn account
I think there may have been 6?
That’s clearly gingerational wealth
Ha!
Looks terrific! Great job!
Yoo, if you had come to the gingerbread house building contest I went to last night, you for sure would’ve won!!
Oh, I only know of two so far in the US so cool that there are more.
Jumping on this, did you bake the gingerbread yourself? I tried making it once and it failed, and I want to give making a gingerbread house another go
Yes. I use a blog called Haniela's for structural gingerbread.
Oh my gosh yours is flippin fantastic! The little gingerbreads are such an adorable touch!
if it matters you get first place right here!
The hell won first and second?! This is gorge!
Wow - if that’s 3rd place I’d love to see 1st and 2nd….
(That’s a long way of saying your “house” is probably the most amazing gingerbread creation I’ve ever seen…. and I’ve been to the White House during Christmas for reference [not a brag]).
No disrespect but I need to see 1st and 2nd. Cause, if that’s 3rd, I’m expecting versailles in ginger
I can’t share them. It wouldn’t be right without their permission. I think one is deserving of a high place as it was all hand piped royal icing and immaculately neat. First place I’m less convinced of.
either #1 is a perfect replica of the taj mahal. or it’s a pile of gingerbread and frosting made by a 3 year old. no in between.
Damn, what was first place? The Taj Mahal?
Hey /u/viktor72,
You did it! Your post is officially the #1 post on Reddit. It is now forever immortalized at /r/topofreddit.
Wtf did the 1st place one look like then?!!?
If this won 3rd, what the hell were 1st and 2nd?! This is amazing.
This is freaking awesome! I’m not putting down the other two, but I think this deserves 1st place 🥇💛
If that won third place I can’t even imagine what won second or first. That is incredible!
Who won first place?? 😳
Beautiful! Congratulations! Like others, I am amazed this one is third place as makes me wonder how do second and first place look like!
Should be 1st tbh lol
I thought they were legos when I first saw it!
Goodness what was first prize like? That is amazing
Wow! That's fantastic!! I love that you built upwards and the structure held and looks so great! Congrats!
It's fabulous!
This is incredible, most impressive gingerbread house I’ve ever seen personally. Takes talent, very well done. In disbelief it wasn’t first lol
Dang, what was first??? This is amazing!
I desperately want to see the first place one. This is amazing!
I get it but I don’t want to doxx them and also I don’t want to run afoul of potentially bullying them online without their permission to post.
Represent FW! Won't be able to make it this year but that looks great!
Small world!
Where tf is this contest if you came behind two others
That’s 3rd place?! Wow, with how amazing yours looks I can’t imagine what 1st place looks like!
Congrats! I would hate to see #2 and #1... Yours is awesome!
I love gingerbread house contests! You did a fantastic job!
I love how like high level craftsmanship into to something to cute is here, but the same humanity of OP talking smack on 2nd place still in here is FRYING me
And here I’m thinking about making an old barn.
ok, how many years did it take for you to get to this level? curious as to how you got to this point.. i love gingerbread houses and although i love baking, have never piped a cake much less created such a work of art like what you created! I would love to get started somehow but not sure how to go about that.
God damn! What did first place look like?! Cause yours is exquisite!! That’s beautiful! I love the detail.
See you tomorrow, Chef
Second Empire architecture is so cool. Love that you chose that style. Well done!
Amazing! But damn, what did 1st place look like?
I’m a sculptor and this is incredible work. Amazing job!
What was first place? The Sistine chapel?
Wow, what was 1st place?
third?? How's the 1?
Saw the other two, this is way better imo, good work
Participated in a gingerbread house competition at a museum once a few years ago. There was a comp for adults and for children it was shocking how many were kits! (The children’s comp gets a pass on that. It’s more how the chose to decorate and express themselves) We worked as a team and it took several hours and days, if not weeks, of planning and baking. We made a whole little mountain village on the allotted base. Most of the village including the mountains were 2-d and a few significant buildings in the town square were fully 3-d with elaborate decor. Used melted gummies for stained glass. Absolutely gorgeous! First place :) donated the winnings.
This is why I don’t try. THIS got third place.
Damn what did first and 2nd place look like??? This is absolutely stunning!!
If this is the third one then what did first and second look like 😭
What were the other two: the Guggenheim Museum and Taj Mahal?
Holy crap what took first! This is beautiful 😍
My first thought was the gingerbread HOA not approving the icing colors
Who won first
Holy crap I can’t imagine what first and second place look like. It’s awesome!
Reminds me of the house from Charmed. That was a gorgeous house.
What the hell did 1st look like? This is a feat of gingerbread architecture, yours is gorgeous.
Whoa! My mother said "Amazing!" when I showed her. You've even got a snowman! I wouldn't mind living in a house that looked like that. So pretty!