Good old-fashioned family fun, Vermont-style.

Every year, the Vermont Folklife Center in Middlebury hosts a community gingerbread house exhibit. The rules are as follows: “All components- except the base- must be edible, including the “glue”. The base size cannot exceed 12×16 inches.” That’s it. The entry categories are: Professional, Amateur, Children, Family 12 years and older, Family 11 years and younger, Organization. The prize is “Middlebury Money” which is a local spending coupon, sponsored by various businesses.

As you can see from the photos, it is a competition which doesn’t take itself too seriously and doesn’t attract just obsessive fanatics. It’s fun for the kids to walk over from the school to see all the “houses” and vote for their favorite one. The idea of “gingerbread” and “house” are both expandable since the rules are so vague, and this year it ranged from the pyramids of Giza made from sugar cubes to the awesome Ninja Dough-jo. (Somebody discovered these!) I guess over 13 years, the “perfect gingerbread house” has been done a few too many times. By coincidence, several of my favorites were created by friends of mine. I love my small town.

Enjoy a peek into a Middlebury holiday institution.