MANSFIELD – Sweet treats filled the service room at Kingwood Center Gardens on Saturday, as colorful gingerbread houses began to take shape.
More than 30 children and their families gathered to make creative masterpieces out of gingerbread, icing and candy as part of Kingwood Center Gardens’ annual gingerbread house classes. It’s a tradition that Kingwood has honored for years to usher in the holiday season.
“The kids are all just really creative,” said Kingwood volunteer Ginny Miller. “If you give them free reign and they all have the same equipment, they’re all going to come up with something different.”
Tasked as the instructor of the gingerbread house classes, Miller roamed the room with her homemade colored icing and pastry bags offering creative tips for her students. Children used different candies, cookies and royal icing supplied by Kingwood to make the perfect creation.
“I give them ideas of what they can do with their windows and things they can put on their roofs, or how to hide their boo-boos with zig-zags or candies,” Miller said. “It’s kind of a free-for-all.”
Eight-year-old Peyton Hensel of Marion showed off her gingerbread creation with her initials spelled out using M&M’s, a peppermint front door, and coconut snow in her yard.
“She loves candy,” said mother Beth Hensel with a laugh. “It’s fun for the parents too, it’s fun to take all these random pieces of candy and see what they can create.”
Six-year-old Madison Brandenburg of Galion also showed off her gingerbread house with an ice cream cone tree, gumdrop decorations and wreath made of icing. Grandmother Karen Brandenburg appreciated the gingerbread guidance.
“It is really awesome, and really neat for the kids,” she said. “And they seem to be having fun, so that’s what makes it.”
Each participant on Saturday created their own design to either take home or to enter in the Kingwood Gingerbread House Competition. Of course, the best part of the day for the kids was indulging their sweet tooth.
“My favorite part was frosting my house,” said Madison. “Because it tastes good.”
