December 6, 2013, the largest Gingerbread house was made. It is 35.8 million calories and takes up 2,520 square feet. Some people wonder why gingerbread houses are a part of Christmas. The tradition of building gingerbread houses started in Germany in the 1800’s and became popular with the fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel.
Gingerbread houses can be decorated in royal icing, gumdrops, and M&Ms. When people buy these ingredients they’re most likely ready to assemble the house. House assembling brings families, friends, and neighbors together in the cheerful holiday, Christmas. Then this brings everyone closer together as they work together and have fun.
In addition, decorating gingerbread houses is also used religiously. Churches sell decorated gingerbread houses during Easter and Christmas shaped as churches. At special religious ceremonies gingerbread is used to make churches and religious people. That is a big thing for some families during these holidays. Slowly, over time decorating gingerbread houses has slipped into a Christmas tradition for many reasons.
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Making Gingerbread houses are rooted in history. This fun creative activity all started in Germany. Gingerbread houses originated in the 16th century, but didn’t become a serious tradition till 18th century in Germany. This tradition became so important to Germans that they made their loved ones guard their recipe.
Quickly, the tradition spread. The tradition was brought to America by German Pennsylvania immigrants. Without those people America wouldn’t have got to enjoy the exciting activity with their families. But, as tradition spread so did a lot of talk.
People started wondering how this activity started. One reason people started saying gingerbread house came upon was the Wise Men Myth. This myth started by saying one of the wise men got sick on the way to Bethlehem, and the wise men was carrying ginger. The wise men said “Ginger is the house of bread.” Jesus was suppose to receive the gift, so people were said to have made the gingerbread houses to take the guilt away.
Another myth is the story Hansel and Gretel written by Brothers Grimm. The myth Hansel and Gretel is two kids in the woods show up at a candy decorated gingerbread house. They knock and no one answered, so they go in and start eating the gingerbread house. Unfortunately, then a witch traps them and puts them in a candy cage. They later realised they could eat their way out and run. So they did just that. This is considered a myth because it started a trend to make this popular gingerbread house, but people haven’t proven that’s for sure why it started.
All this gingerbread house fun decorating, myth talk, and important history all built up to an important day. The day in the 1800’s when people decided that Gingerbread houses had enough spirit to become a Christmas tradition. From families decorating, Germans starting it all off, a wise men and Hansel and Gretel the gingerbread house is a strong part of the holiday tradition Christmas and will continue for centuries to come.
