As usual, the Witte Gingerbread tradition continued to grow bigger and better this year. In effort to up my game, I actually made real gingerbread this year! Only pictures can truly describe the tradition and the night, but if you want a feel for the full history, check out my cousin Jessica's blog from the past week.
At 12:00 on the night before Thanksgiving, I finished baking all the pieces of my creation. I decided to model my "house" after the famous Arch in Antigua, Guatemala. You judge for yourself how I did.
My finished product: Thursday morning version. All the pieces were put together, and I was pretty pleased with my first endeavor into the world legit gingerbread.
I didn't want to completely cover the gingerbread with yellow frosting, so I added yellow accents. At this point, I'm still happy...you can see the chaos developing around me with candy and cameras and glue guns.
Then, the earthquake struck. I have two theories on the fall of my Guatemalan Gingerbread Empire. Theory 1: Similarly to the city which inspired my creation, my arch fell prey to natural disaster/earthquake. Traditionally, Uncle Teunis supplies the get together with fireworks picked up in Indiana. This year the fireworks took a turn toward both some relatives and our house, resulting in a lot of screams, nervous laughter, and a broken window on our porch. About that time my Arch fell apart. Theory 2: I didn't make my house early enough and the gingerbread was too soft. Adding frosting and candy led to DISASTER. Either way, it fell apart.
In order to reinforce the front portion, I hot glued cans of beans to the front and cardboard across the top. Let's just say I dabbled in synthetic material; not kosher, but necessary. 
Can you see the comparison? My Arch is complete with the traditional Good Friday carpet and little Mayan Indian Snowmen in traditional dress....or something. Not bad, not good, I have something to work toward for next year.
Jessica's creation
Uncle Dan's creation
3 comments:
Those Witte's sure are creative. How could anyone think they might be able to break into that group.
Thanks for the photos & the recap of your "famous" gingerbread making. I can see why I am not a part of that night, I don't have the talent to compete ~ well, maybe with the disaster part. It looked good even though it had a little help. Great Idea Annette!
I am suppriesed you didnt have a third theory that I was the cause of you failed gingerbread building. At least you can laugh at the great collaspe. Theres alwasy next year to make you creation earthquake proof
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