Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Gingerbread -- it's what's for Christmas

Having a faithful dotter here means door-to-door limo service to venues that are well away from my regular routes. The Prescott Resort & Casino, for example, for the annual Christmas gingerbread house competition. One prize-winner among many, the topical White House (above); FYI, even the spun-sugar poinsettias were made in the kitchen.

Not quite as professional, but great fun -- our very own Courthouse scene, complete to gazebo and the Bucky O'Neill equestrian statue.

Scenes from the big display, top and below. What I really like about the competition is that is open to anyone. Entries come from professional chefs, from clubs and classrooms, from individuals and individual families. The dotter was so taken with the exhibit that she hopes to get something similar introduced up in the frozen north country next year.

This particular scene was made by employees at the local med center and, true to their calling, they included a Santa being subjected to a CATscan (below).

There were two versions of Noah, his ark, his animals and his rainbow. Version 2 was positioned immediately above a splendid gingerbread map of the world. (Those are not crumbs in the South Seas, but many islands.)

Oz was populated by a roo and a koala; India (below) had an elephant, China a panda, and a tiger sits north of the gingerbread Himalayas. Appropriately enough, the world map was the brainstorm of a local travel/cruise company.

I suspect that the train that regularly circled the gingerbread village was a feature to make the display more boy-friendly.

Regional touches included a Spanish-style adobe -- and the gingerbread saguaro at right.

And of course, there were churches. Dotter (OmegaMom) spent some time studying the roof of the church above, finally figuring out that the roof was made from chewing gum. When she returns home, she'll complete her tale of this year's roasted and toasted gingerbread house -- and its successor. In the meantime, you might check out what she's currently saying about Arizona and the gingerbread tragedy.

9 comments:

  1. An extremely interesting and imaginative display. One stuff-up. the koala should have been in eastern Oz, there being none in the wild over here in the west--lots of roos and emus though.

    Hermano

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  2. Gingerbread overload. :)

    I haven't been up to the resort to see the gingerbread competition since I was a kid. Thanks for a look inside.

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  3. I haven't been there for a couple of years. I'm not sure why as we always love it! Thanks for taking us along with you:)

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  4. bro -- I, too, was under the misapprehension that the koalas were Western!

    tombo & brain -- you should both take some time out for the gingerbread. It was quite fun.

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  5. Anonymous12:03 PM

    Hmmm, now I'm hungry!

    Thanks, GJ.

    ~Anon in AV.

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  6. Granny j..I love the exhibit, and I love you for always sharing such interesting things with your readers!

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  7. anon av -- if you'd been to the goodie section of Tuesday Morning, you'd be even hungrier! Dotter bought some absolutely delish imported cookies there yesterday. So we had fancy cookies and a pizza delivered.

    jan -- I'm lucky enough to find interesting things & events to share. May it always be so!

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  8. That's always such a great event. And a great fundraiser, too. You know, years ago, you bought the gingerbread men for $1 each to decorate, and that went directly to Big Brothers/Big Sisters, also. To be different this holiday, I shall wish you a "Froehliche Weihnachten", German for "Merry Christmas!!!"

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  9. SeeMarie -- welcome back! Interesting about the gingerbread men -- I wonder if that still applies; would make sense (and cents). Bitte!

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