What are rules for gingerbread house?

Answered by Tom Adger

When it comes to creating a gingerbread house, there are a few important rules to keep in mind to ensure that your creation is both visually appealing and delicious. These rules are designed to challenge your creativity while also ensuring that the house is constructed using edible materials. So let’s dive into the rules for making a gingerbread house!

1. 100% Edible Materials: The most important rule for gingerbread house construction is that all the materials used must be edible. This includes the gingerbread itself, as well as any decorations or embellishments. You can use a variety of candies, cookies, chocolates, and icing to decorate your house. Get creative with your choices and let your imagination run wild!

2. Lights: While the main structure and decorations must be edible, you are allowed to use lights ‘inside/outside’ the house that are not edible. This can add a festive touch to your creation and make it even more enchanting. Just make sure that the lights are safe and don’t come into direct contact with the edible parts of the house.

3. No Non-edible Support Structures: It’s important to remember that the support structure of the gingerbread house should also be edible. This means that you cannot use non-edible materials such as Styrofoam or wood to construct or decorate the house. The challenge lies in finding ways to make your gingerbread house stable and structurally sound using only edible materials.

4. Avoid Artificial Interior Materials: Another rule to keep in mind is to avoid using artificial interior materials. This means that you should not use materials like Styrofoam or wood to create walls or other structural elements inside the house. The goal is to keep everything as edible as possible, making the experience of eating the gingerbread house even more enjoyable.

5. Baseboard Exception: While the main structure should be entirely edible, you are allowed to use a non-edible baseboard to provide stability to your gingerbread house. This can be a simple board or tray that serves as the foundation for your creation. Just make sure that the baseboard is not used as a support structure for the house itself.

To summarize, the rules for making a gingerbread house include using 100% edible materials, except for lights ‘inside/outside’ the house. Non-edible support structures are not allowed, except for a baseboard, which can be used for stability. Artificial interior materials should also be avoided, ensuring that the entire house is edible. By following these rules, you can create a beautiful and delicious gingerbread house that will be the highlight of any holiday celebration.