Gingerbread
House
Decorating
Packet
Guidelines, Tips & Awards
Schedule of Events for Saturday,
December 5th
Old Towne Mall
20 S. MainCheck-in
Street
- Janesville
11:00 am
begins at Old Towne Mall
11:00 am – Noon
Noon – 5:00 pm
5:00 pm – 5:45 pm
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Set-up your station – A volunteer will show you to your
decorating station
Decorating competition!
Judging of Houses by local area professionals
Public judging
Decorating
Guidelines
Each team will be supplied
with:
Four(?) sheets of gingerbread. Participants will cut and design your gingerbread house.
The houses will be placed on a 2’x3’ white plywood board. The house may be positioned at any
location on the board. The decoration of the house may extend into the “yard” and cover the 2’x3’
board, but not beyond. Decorators must utilize at least ½ of the assembled house provided in their
ultimate creation.
Tubes of white icing (unlimited – within reason)
Work station with two 6 foot tables – one for the house and one for supplies – and two chairs.
Gingerbread sheets that you will cut up to form a unique and individual gingerbread house.
A maximum of six individuals may work on the gingerbread house at one time. Shifts may be taken
and there is no limit to the number of workers who may participate in the competition.
NOTE: Each team is responsible for supplying their own decorations and
decorating tools.
Decoration Suggestions
Edible decorations are strongly encouraged. It is recommended that at least 75% of the house decorations are
edible. Hard (edible) materials are best as softer materials will absorb too much moisture during the display
time and could collapse or slide off.
Ideas for materials include:
Materials
Gingerbread house features
House Decorations
Graham crackers, chocolate bars, sugar wafer
cookies, extra gingerbread pieces
Candy canes, peanut butter sticks, licorice ropes,
pretzels, extra gingerbread pieces
Sugar wafers with cream removed, Necco wafers,
gum sticks, lifesavers, candy canes, Chiclets,
dinner mints
Licorice rops
Peanuts, mixed nuts, mini Tootsie rolls, gum
drops, Pez candy, M&Ms, Chiclets
Frosted Mini-Wheats, Necco wafers, Chex cereal,
Vanilla wafers, sprinkles, thin pretzels, square
cookies, colored licorice ropes
Porches, balconies, bay windows, window boxes,
stair steps
Pillars for balconies, porches, overhangs, etc.
Windows, doors, shutters, flower boxes
Edging of roof ridge or House corners
Fireplaces, chimneys, foundations
Roof
Landscaping ideas
Tootsie rolls
Pretzels and large gum drops
Candy cane with a gum drop and Skittle
Upside down pointed ice cream cones,
stacks of concentric stars
Green marshmallows
Crushed vanilla wafers, Turbanado sugar
Green or blue sugar or sprinkles on frosting
White sugar on frosting
Chocolate bar pieces, Necco wafers, peanut
brittle
Lifesavers
Stacked marshmallows with toothpicks
People Shaped Cookies
Wrapped Candy
Nerds
Skittles
Dripping frosting on eaves
Log pile
Fencing and posts
Light post
Trees
Bushes
Gravel or sand
Grass or water
Snow
Stepping stones, walkways
Wreaths
Snowman
Standing figures
Packages
Colored lights, gravel on roof or walkways
Lights on the eaves
Icicles
Red hots; chocolate figurines; hard candy with gold, silver, red or green wrappers; different shaped cookies;
sprinkles and colored sugar
Decorating Tips
Here is a suggested way to tackle decorating your gingerbread house.
Pre-plan your decorating. Decide on a theme and purchase your decorating supplies.
Determine the location of your house on the base. Plan the front and back of the house and decide on your
yard areas. For instance, if you want a landscaping scene or porch, plan your yard size accordingly.
CAREFULLY cut any openings or make any structural additions to the house. When working with the
gingerbread, remember to score first and then gently cut or break. Wipe away crumbs. Prop up (canned goods
work well because they heavy and can be stacked temporarily) AND allow added features plenty of time to dry
before decorating. Accidental breaks are easy to repair with icing, so don’t worry!
Decorate from the bottom to the top so that your decorations don’t get in your way while you are working.
Apply doors, windows and porches before any balconies or window boxes. Let added features dry before
adding decorations.
Add fireplaces, chimneys, foundation decorations, etc. A heavier base line—as in a foundation—will “anchor”
your house and adds some detail.
Decorate the roof. Add any roof and eave embellishments such as icicles or lights. Icicles can be made by
taking the tip of your icing bag and placing it on the roof overhand edge. Make a little squirt to attach the
icicle to the gingerbread and then let it drip into the air. These will not all stay, but a variety of lengths looks
like a real house anyway!
Last of all — THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT: Frost and finish the landscaping with walks, woodpiles, bushes,
people, pets and snowmen. To have a really finished look, cover all the bakery board with frosting. Leave it
plain if you want, but the frosting will look like snow or ground cover, and finishes your creation!
Decorating Tools
Be sure to pack plenty of decorating tools and supplies for your team. Suggested items to bring:
Spatulas- large and small, spoons, utility knives
Aprons, paper towels, plastic gloves, small brush to get rid of crumbs
Cutting boards, paring knives, toothpicks, straight pins
Cookie cutters for cutting shapes out of gingerbread
If you plan to color icing: bowl, spoon/scraper and food coloring
Sketch paper and pencils for planning last minute details and designs
If planning a major revision or addition to the supplied house, allow for some structural support from within,
canned food or heavy objects to act as temporary exterior support while revision is drying, and for
additional drying time before decorating to insure stability
Awards
A panel of local artists, bakers, and others will judge all of the gingerbread houses. Awards will be presented at 7:00
pm.
Coolest House: Gingerbread house that truly goes beyond tradition and uses the most creative and
unconventional design or decorations.
Most Electric House: This award is all about the WOW factor. Whatever house the judges find the most
jolting—the more double-takes, the better!—will win this award.
Best Theme: Gingerbread house that displays the most cohesive and recognizable theme.
KIDS’ CHOICE: Gingerbread house that receives the most votes from children!
Best of Show. House that shows best overall design and craftsmanship and is beautiful and fun to view