According to National Day Calendar, Gingerbread House Day is observed annually on December 12.

A favorite food of an Armenian monk, Gregory of Nicopolis, brought gingerbread to Europe around 992 AD and taught French Christians to bake it. Gingerbread was often used in religious ceremonies and was baked to be sturdy as it was often molded into images of saints.

We can thank the Brothers’ Grimm for the idea of a gingerbread house through their tale of Hansel and Gretel. It didn’t take long for the German gingerbread guilds to pick up the idea and put it to a more festive use making snowy cottages made from the spicy-sweet treat.

Gingerbread lovers are encouraged to observe this festive holiday by gathering with family and friends to bake, build, and decorate your very own gingerbread houses. Try spicing up the activity with some friendly competition to see who can make the best house! We have a few listeners that think theirs could take the gold. Just look at their work in the gallery below. Nice piping!

Gingerbread Houses

Additional reporting by Darian Barreto

More From WFHN-FM/FUN 107