In Days Gone By: The tradition of gingerbread houses, past and present

Forms of gingerbread as we know it have been baked for centuries.  Ginger’s medicinal properties were recognized more than 5,000 years ago and ginger was often grounded and used in medicines in China and Europe.

Gingerbreads for the past three centuries have basically come in two forms. One is a crisp gingerbread or biscuit made from the ginger nut. A separate process of boiling ginger dough into a clay-like substance that can be molded like clay has been used to create edible statuettes or other decorations.

Historians generally believe that the baking and decorating of gingerbread houses started in Germany in the early 1800s. The practice became extremely popular when the story of Hansel and Gretel was published by the Brothers Grimm in 1812.

The story, which is not very Christmas-y, tells of Hansel and Gretel discovering a magical house in the forest. The story includes the line, “When they came nearer, they saw that the house was built of gingerbread, and roofed with cakes, and the window was of transparent sugar.”

Inspired by the story, German bakers began to craft small, decorated houses made of crisp Lebkuchen, which contained a combination of ginger and spiced honey.

When Germans immigrated to the U.S., they brought the tradition with them. Edmonds in the early days had a large population of German descent, including the influential A.M. Yost family.

Author’s note: My first discovery of gingerbread being mentioned in early Edmonds was in a memoir written by Ethel Smith, whose mother Flora Smith was the driving force behind the formation of the first church in Edmonds.  

In Ethel’s memoir, she wrote that parishioners would come to the church on Christmas evening. A Christmas tree with its candles lit was in front of the church. Near the tree was a gingerbread village and a manger, along with bags of fruits and nuts for the children, which have largely faded as presents over the decades.  

But there are occasions when people want to keep some of those traditions alive and let their grandchildren and their friends enjoy a unique experience. This week, Edmonds Bakery owner Ken Bellingham had his three grandchildren and a few of their friends and parents from the Westgate preschool and kindergarten come to the bakery to learn about gingerbread house decorating.

The recipe is as follows.

Step 1: Start with small undecorated gingerbread houses:

Step 2:  Provide a tray of assorted candies and marshmallow figures:

Step 3: Mix in seven children, ranging from ages 3 to 5, with their parents and let them select their individual houses.

Step 4: Provide each child with a container of glaze, which they can apply to the roof and sides of the house so that candy and other items can be attached.

Step 5: Attach candy and marshmallow figures to the roof of your house. You are free to add what you like.

Step 6: Finish your house and yard with whatever materials you like.

Step 7: Enjoy your own uniquely decorated gingerbread house:

Each gingerbread house was uniquely decorated and worthy of Hansel and Gretel’s admiration. 

At the end of the day, each child was able to take their uniquely decorated gingerbread house home with them to enjoy. Hopefully, they remember this experience and later in life carry on this centuries-old tradition.

Author’s final notes: As the houses were nearly complete, snow began to fall (powdered sugar shaken through a sifter) adding a final wintry touch to each creation. The Edmonds Bakery does not provide regularly scheduled gingerbread decorating parties, but they do offer home-baked decorated gingerbread men and women (and also children).

– Story and photos by Byron Wilkes  

Thanks go to Ken Bellingham, The Edmonds Bakery and the parents of the children for giving me permission to photograph their children and document their decorating experiences.