Holiday Competition

During the Christmas "vac" (vacation) at RVA, those still on campus have an annual competition that involves creativity and food.  The Gingerbread House Competition.  Families compete in various categories with viewership voting determining the winners.  The Hazard family competed again this year.

The guys decided to fashion a "Landy Rover" as Ian calls them from graham crackers.  Pictured here are Ian and Jeff hard at work on their project.  A wooden toy Land Rover serves as a model for the creation.  Jeff is using a dremel tool to cut fenders for the "gingerbread" Rover.   The greatest obstacle to success facing the craftsmen is the continuing temptation to eat the "parts".

The girls' creation was a "work in progress".  Their conception changed as they worked.  Here Joyellen, Emily Wiarda, and Megan work on the new design.  Not pictured is Lyndsey who worked on the project also.  In the round jar is red licorice made by Red Vine.  The African Hazards really like the Red Vine.  The American Hazards prefer the Twizzler brand of red licorice.  Both are available at Meijer.  Try them and let me know which you prefer.

The Land Rover takes shape.  The spare tire on the bonnet (hood) is an Oreo.  The roof rack is constructed  of pretzel sticks.  The luggage is candy bars.  The front lites are M & M's, regular and mint.  The four tires  are also Oreos.  The various sections of the vehicle are "cemented" together with a special recipe of icing.

The girls' final design was a log cabin with outside choo.  Red Vine licorice outlined the roofs.  The snow was coconut sprinkles.  The logs were cinnamon sticks.  M & M's, Skittles, and Reese's mini-cups provided accent pieces.

The completed Land Rover.  The Red Vine licorice are pipes on the roof rack and a snorkel used when crossing deep water.  A gas can is made of a candy bar.  The spout is a piece of pretzel.

In this close-up shot one can see the slits cut in the graham cracker with the dremel tool to simulate a front grill.  The winch is constructed of pretzel pieces and the cable on the winch is made of gum.  The ground over which the Land Rover is driving is made of granola.  The greenery is the spice Rosemary.

Up close view of the girls' log cabin.  In following the rules of construction, everything in the display is edible.  The snow on the ground is popcorn.  Rosemary is also the greenery next to the house.

One of the rooms in the cafo was used for the display of competition entries.  Following are several pictures showing the variety of ideas  built by other RVA families.

A small village with lake.  This entry took 2 days to construct.  Remember, everything in this creation is edible.

Winnie the Pooh.

The Gingerbread House.

Neighborhood house with snowman in the front yard.

A Christmas Train.

People circulated around the room viewing all the entries.  Shortly after everyone had seen the creations,  ballots were distributed.  People were asked to vote for their favorite "gingerbread house" in various categories.  Surprise!  All entries won in their respective divisions.

The evening concluded with food and fine fellowship.  The adults participated in a Christmas quiz while the kids watched "A Charlie Brown Christmas".  And what happened to the Gingerbread Houses?  I can't speak for all the creations, but as for the Hazard household entries:  the girls nibbled some of theirs and threw the rest away.  As for Jeff and Ian's Land Rover;  Ian took it out into the back yard and smashed it.  The difference between boys and girls I guess.

More to come ...