The History of Gingerbread Houses

By Abigail Addison

So, how were gingerbread houses created and when? What was the idea of the gingerbread houses when the creator made them? Who is the creator of the gingerbread house? Well, I am sure you have a lot of questions. So, let’s dig in.

What is a gingerbread house?

A GINGERBREAD HOUSE IS A CONFECTIONERY HOUSE USUALLY MADE FROM A HARDENED GINGER BISCUIT, OFTEN REFERRED TO AS A “GINGER NUT”. THIS HOUSE IS TYPICALLY DECORATED WITH AN ASSORTMENT OF FROSTING AND CANDIED ELEMENTS. THIS PRACTICE STEMS FROM THE TRADITION OF BAKING GINGER INTO SMALL COOKIES, CALLED SNAP COOKIES DURING EUROPEAN AND NORTH AMERICAN HOLIDAYS. THE GENERAL CHARACTERISTIC OF A GINGERBREAD HOUSE IS THAT THE PRODUCT SHOULD RESEMBLE SOME FORM OF ARCHITECT, BUT NOWADAYS, IT IS VERY LOOSELY APPLIED. A GINGERBREAD HOUSE CAN BE MADE TO LOOK LIKE ANYTHING, WITH THE IMPORTANT RULE OF IT BEING CONSTRUCTED ENTIRELY OF EDIBLE ITEMS, NAMELY CANDY AND GINGERBREAD.

Who created the gingerbread house?

THE ACTUAL INVENTOR IS LARGELY UNKNOWN AS GINGERBREAD CONSTRUCTIONS CAN BE FOUND AS FAR BACK AS ANCIENT GREECE AND EVEN FURTHER IN CHINA, BUT FOR THE EUROPEANS AND NORTH AMERICA, THE PRACTICE OF MAKING GINGERBREAD HOUSES ORIGINATES IN GERMANY DURING THE 1800’S. AS GINGERBREAD WAS ALREADY USED TO MAKE DIFFERENT FORMS OF ART, GERMAN BAKERS TOOK THIS TO THE NEXT STEP, BASING THEIR CREATION OFF A VERY POPULAR FAIRY TALE FROM THE BROTHERS GRIMM, “HANSEL AND GRETEL” WHERE TWO CHILDREN ARE ABANDONED IN A FOREST BEFORE DISCOVERING AN EDIBLE HOUSE MADE OF BREAD AND SUGAR. BAKERS TOOK DESCRIPTIONS OF THIS HOUSE FROM THE STORY AND BEGAN APPROXIMATING THEIR OWN TAKE ON A GINGERBREAD HOUSE. THIS WOULD BE MOST POPULAR DURING CHRISTMAS, AS IT WAS COMMONPLACE TRADITION TO CONSUME GINGER SNAP COOKIES AROUND THIS TIME AS WELL.

How did the gingerbread house tradition get started?

THE TRADITION OF GINGERBREAD HOUSE MAKING BEGAN WITH EUROPEANS AND AMERICANS BAKING GINGERSNAP COOKIES AROUND CHRISTMAS. THESE COOKIES TEND TO BE DECORATED WITH ELABORATE DESIGNS, USUALLY GILDED EDGES WITH PICTURES OF ANIMALS, HOUSES OR OTHER ARCHITECTURE. GINGERBREAD WAS ALSO A MEDIUM FOR DISPLAYING FOLK ART AND THE NEWS AS WELL. THIS NATURALLY EVOLVED INTO THE HOUSES THAT GERMAN BAKERS POPULARIZED AND BECAME WHAT WE KNOW TODAY AS THE ART OF MAKING GINGERBREAD HOUSES.

How were gingerbread houses incorporated into Christmas?

GINGERSNAP COOKIES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS, AND AS SUCH, IT WAS HIGHLY POPULAR TO BAKE A LARGE ASSORTMENT OF GINGER PRODUCTS DURING CHRISTMAS. WITH THE CONCEPT OF GINGERBREAD HOUSES, EVENTUALLY THIS TRADITION MERGED WITH THE IDEA OF GINGERBREAD HOUSES. AND SINCE CHRISTMAS IS A WIDELY IMPORTANT TIME IN GERMAN, THE PRACTICE WOULD BECOME SYNONYMOUS WITH CHRISTMAS ITSELF.

Fun Facts about Gingerbread Houses

· It is said that Gingerbread houses can be traced as far back as Ancient Greece and Egypt.

· Gingerbread is said to have been invented by a monk to help cure indigestion.

· It is said that Queen Elizabeth I came up with the concept of the gingerbread man after wanting to present them to visiting officials as gifts.

· Gingerbread is unique in that it uses honey and molasses as the base sweetener instead of sugar.

· In the city of Bergen in Norway, they make an entire city of gingerbread.

I got this information from https://bestgingerbreadhouses.com/gingerbread-house-history/