🛕 When is National Gingerbread House Day 2024

This thing is the equally crucial Christmas attribute as the stockings hanging on the fireplace or the snowman behind the door.

When is National Gingerbread House in 2024 and what else you didn’t know about that culinary creation? Read on!

History

Long time ago, these houses were built for the utterly other purposes. The modern world is not aware when exactly the first eatable model of the humans’ dwelling was invented. Yet it is proved that in the Ancient Rome, locals made those tasty things to settle their deities there. The baked architecture was placed on the home altar where the gods visited it and then was eaten with a great appetite during the warm family evening. Quite a creative way of symbolizing the unity of the folks with their protectors, isn’t it?

Although, at those times, the dough was not made of the ingredients we use today and it was rather perishable. That’s why the food was wolfed down in a day or two. When the Christianity came into the pagan lands, the gingerbread houses were forgotten for thousands of years.

The motherland of the gingerbread is believed to be the small town in the Great Britain. At least, that is what the historical sources and the greeting plate at the entry claim. The very first mention of the gingerbread dates back to the end of the 18th century but people got to know the ginger itself much earlier. Various legends have it that the spice together with the recipe were brought by the crusaders. In the middle of the 18th century, it already became the European children’s dainty. Another rumors claim that the foodstuff was known to Europe since the 10th century due to the monk who lived in France. Right there, he was taught to make the things from ginger. In the 13th century, the dish entered Swedish lands, locals of which used it for…alleviating the indigestion. At the same time, the custom of decorating the windows with the white baked buns appeared.

The renaissance of the gingerbread happened in the 19th century. And in quite an interesting way. Brothers Grimm published their selection of tales, including the ever-popular Hansel and Gretel. After that publication, the snowy cottages experienced a new boom of popularity, lasting since then. The millions of the houses all across the globe can’t do without these culinary inventions on Christmas as well as the New Year fairs. Meanwhile, the decoration of the houses turned into the competition of the real experts.

Every child who’s once read the book dreamed of their own magical house. So, the first models were baked just for fun and happiness of the little ones and much later the mass production came. You could literally choose the cottage to your own heart and soul. On the eve of the winter holidays there were hundreds of the gingerbread architecture contests staged. These performances were the favorite of the citizens among the dozens others and they are the heroes of the shows up to present days.

By the way, such love is also explained by the fact that people finally found the recipe of not so perishing dough. It meant that the houses could be looked at for long and not less long to be eaten. Well, since those times, the irreversible admiration of the  staple of the holiday season grows and strengthens. We’d bet that a great many children know when is International Gingerbread House Day 2024!

Meaning

What does National Gingerbread House Day mean? It means occupying yourself with the time-consuming process of making the true architectural masterpiece. And believe us, it’s worth the efforts you’d bring.

What the decorative models are made for today? For children, for fun and, of course, for the spirit of the holiday in the house. Besides, it is a perfect reason for the creativity together with the youngsters. Designing the house, picturing it, making the paper model and baking the gingerbread is an amusing pastime. Would the kid remember that experience for the whole life? Likely so!

Overall, the snowy cottage is strongly associated with the good old Christmas in the parents’ home. Regardless of what day World Gingerbread House Day falls on, try to build one whenever you want!

Definition

The gingerbread house is the confectionery made of the gingerbread. Being the staple of the winter holidays in Europe, it is prepared in various forms and colors. Be it the simple countryside dwelling, posh apartments from the capital or the castle from the fairy tale, the imagination of the creator is not limited.

The gingerbread is called in this way because the dough is based on the spices. The very first “add-on” to the dough was the honey – the tradition that came from the ancient Egypt. As you can guess, the flatbread made of that were sweet and with specific aroma.

The cottage is usually made of the several caked (four walls and one roof). They are baked and then cooled down. In a while, the details are stapled with the matches or toothpicks or glued with the thick sugary syrop. The junctions between the cakes are covered with the icing.

It is decorated with the figures of animals, trees, flowers, heart-shaped elements, and the cream painting. Most of the parts are made of the gingerbread as well. There are so many types of the models! It can be the little huts or the huge manors. Or even the reduced copies of the real world sights – the Big Ben, Empire State Building, Eiffel Tower. As it’s stored for more than a month, it is made beforehand. The experienced authors divide the process into the several parts – kneading the dough, baking the cakes, decoration, and putting the thing together – and do them on different days, making the process more pleasant. To make the snowy effect, the secret is in using the best sugar powder. The same trick goes for the chimney: it is covered with the nuts for the more natural look.

What is the date of National Gingerbread House 2024? It’s fixed on December 12.

Traditions

You don’t have to ask, what is the way to celebrate the date. Of course, by making the culinary masterpiece on your own. For that, you’ll need one kilo of the flour, two hundred grams of sugar, the same amount of honey and butter, three eggs, half spoon of the cinnamon, ginger, cardamon, and two hundred grams of the sugar powder.

But first, draw and cut the details of the future cottage – the front wall with the window, the door, the back and side walls, shutters, windowsill, and the chimney. Then move to the dough. Mix the spices and combine the flour with the baking powder. Then, pour the floury mixture into the dish with the other ingredients and knead properly. The dough should be rather elastic. Wrap it into the food plastic and leave in the freezer for about three hours. When rolling out, you get three pieces of around half a centimeter thick.

Place the drawings onto the dough and cut once again. Bake for ten minutes in the oven until the cakes cover with the gold color. After that, let them cool down for at least two hours. To put them together, grate the junctions a bit and start making the icing. Put the ingredients into the bowl and whip thoroughly for ten minutes. Color the details with the mass using the special confectionery bag and fix them together. First, the walls, then the roof. The last moves go for such details as the snow, snowflakes and the like.

Having the true decorative bread house at your kitchen, invite your near and dear ones! Everyone will be satisfied with your experiments, we guarantee.

By the way, how about starting the collection? Make the house once in a year and pass the tradition to your children!

International Gingerbread House Day Facts

• There is the biggest culinary modelnin the world. It was made in 2013 in America and weighed almost 20 kilograms!

Mark in your calendar, when is Gingerbread House Day in 2024, and spend it in a fun and sweet way!