Ok, alright, I'll go first this time.  Nothing says "Christmas joy" in California than a day at the beach.  Unfortunately things seem to have gone awry ("Most in Need of David Hasselhoff"), what with the sharks and lobsters coming up onto land to attack the beachgoers ("Gingerbread Construction where Frankie and Annette are Most Likely to be Found").  A large amount of blue and green royal icing become the ocean, with brown sugar making a sweet sandy beach.  Alas, I got the lifeguard colors wrong ("Most Color-blind"), and inadvertently made this a Swiss beach.

  Mike Dashow  used a great technique here, shared also by the hunting blind below -- treating the icing as paint and decorating from there.  Rainbows ("Most Likely to be Owned by Roy G. Biv") decorate the roof, and while a colorful swirl ("Sunshine-y Day-iest") surrounds all four walls.  The color scheme led to no doubts about the political persuasions of the occupant(s), leading to a "Most Likely to Rile a Republican" award as well.

"Rookie of the Year" award winners Chris and Anna Hickerson made a tasty and traditional creation.  The scalloped roof has its tiles accented by alternating blue and yellow frosting, while a warm blue light seems to emanate from the 4-light windows.  The missus, a friendly looking person ("Most Likely to Spread Holiday Cheer"), sports silver earrings and a sparkly dress.   Can there be any doubt that this house belongs in a "Neighborhood Most Likely to win KFOG's 'Too Much Christmas'" award? 

This is the house that made you afraid to get in the gingerbread shower alone.  And why not, since Molly Schlesinger and Martin Stoufer have created the "Best Shameless Colorization of a Black & White Classic Movie"?  Yes, the Ginger Bates Motel beckons all, a "Best Tourist Trap" with "Lowest Hourly Rates."  Blue icing provides the ominous lettering on the sign, while the prominent use of red on the roof and in the landscaping almost seem to scream out BLOODBATH to you.  In fact, if you peer through the door, you may see a victim right now.  Well, future victim -- she's still standing.

Deb Bouchard is off to see the Wizard in a house "Most Full of Joyful Optimism."  Yellow M&Ms ("Best Value for the Money") create a well-known road, while contrasting red ones against green frosting show a colorful counterpoint.  An aerial view depicting drinking-straw witch legs shows why this place is "Most Likely to be Celebrated by Munchkins."  

  World events intruded into this year's creations with a "Most Tasteless" award-winning creation by Kim Johnson.  Ground Zero of the World Trade Center ("Choicest Real Estate") is represented by starkly bare chimneys standing upright amidst the gingerbread debris.   An American flag honors the fallen, such as the woman near the helicopter.  This scene of terrible carnage also captured "Best Use of Fossil Fuels" honors. 

  A political visage came from Eric Brook's "Most Left Wing" creation showing the plains of Afghanistan ("Least Romantic Place for a Weekend Getaway").  Does the giant egg in the middle represent a food packet or a cluster bomb?  Potential contents made up of yellow M&M are strewn about, while a black and a white soldier at the top battle it out.  The decapitated Santa head is left for us to ponder, as Eric once again captures the "Ari Cohen Annual Honorary Award for Biggest Waste of Adam & Erica's Time Baking Perfectly Formed Gingerbread Walls, only to have their Work Made a Mockery of by Destroying Said Walls to Build Something."

  It's not just any 'ol castle, it's the Castle Anthrax ("Best Use of a White Powdery Substance") by Erica Cleary -- don't linger, it's perilous.  Custom baked walls are covered with slivered almonds ("Most Likely to be Nibbled Away by a Squirrel"), denoting stonework.  Ice cream cones form turrets ("Ben & Jerry Memorial Award for Best Use of Waffle Cones"), while blue frosting creates a moat traversed by the spaghetti-and-gingerbread drawbridge.  Off to the right, a dragon keeps a guarded watch over things.

  What from the front may appear to be your typical fraternity, with passed-out members (a punful "Best School Spirit" winner) in front, is show to be more of the same when seen overhead in Scott Pullman and Erin Peltzman's house. Gingerbread people are piled atop each other ("Most Wasteful Use of a Parent's Tuition Money"), while an inebriated resident straddles one of the walls ("Most Likely to Induce Vomiting").  Colorful and happy frosting has been blended into a sickly green shade to decorate the walls, reinforcing the nausea of this house.

  Gabe & Sarah Morgan also used a great decorating technique, blending frosting colors to create camouflage.  Their hunting blind was liberally painted to blend into the environment, fooling the deer ("Most Faithful Use of Livestock") grazing in the nearby icing snowdrifts. The back of the blind shows the hunters ("Reddest Necks") taking aim at the cute deer ("Most Cruel to Bambi"), while their Monster Truck stands ready to haul out a tasty load of venison.

  It's a tornado waiting to happen ("Most Likely to be Reported by Al Roker") at the Jay Lorch and Michelle Teague homestead.  In fact, a pipe cleaner twister is approaching.  Luckily, the black gumdrop tires on the roof ("Most Evocative of the White Trash Lifestyle") will keep the house in place.  The fruit rollup clothes drying in back may even benefit from the gale-force winds.  It's uncertain whether the roof poultry, on this "Roseanne Arnold Award for Low Class" winner, will be as lucky.

Still not enough?

Have you seen any good gingerbread houses on the net? Let me know and I'll post a picture here for all to see.

Last updated: Sunday, December 30, 2007