Gingerbread Theme Christmas

Get a serious recipe book. I like this one shown on the right because it has so many varied ways to make great gingerbread flavored creations.

Assemble all your ingredients and utensils.

Now you can begin.

or wait... it is all made for you! Choose to bake your own gingerbread cakes and cookies or buy them, even order from an online source to have a delicious supply of the real thing.



Where Did Gingerbread Originate?

...a little history

Gingerbread has had a long history and in the timeline it has had a number of variations, as you might well imagine. That is why it can have different flavors and textures depending on the locale ... or time in which you choose to base the recipe. For some, it is a flattened and crisp cookie. That is the recipe I use when I bake my Moravian Spice Cookies. It can be a cake, like my Maple Cream dolloped Gingerbread bundt cake, or it can be closer to the "bread" type of recipe, such as a date-nut or banana bread.

At first, the etymology of the word "Gingerbread" was buried in the term referring to the preserved root of the ginger plant... it later was used for the confection we now call Gingerbread, usually in our minds the cookies cut into the shapes of lovable cookie men. [Read more]

It is believed that gingerbread was made as far back as the ancient Greeks and the Egyptians.

Thought to have traveled to Medieval Europe with returning Crusaders, as many new flavors and trade goods did, Gingerbread was a treat widespread among these societies during festive times, such as holidays and fairs.



German Lebkuchen are the forbears of the cookie we now call gingerbread.

Some of these older types of cookies might have been pressed into molds, and may even have been decorated with gold leaf! There once were gingerbread baking guilds which regulated the baking of these treats, taken quite seriously. Germans had many traditions and brought these to America, including the Gingerbread houses which we find so charming today. More on Gingerbread, from Wikipedia,


Oh Snap! Funny Christmas Gingerbread Man

The warm brown of the Gingerbread looks wonderful when harmoniously set off by red and white; and that homey combination is found in the cheerful Gingham check material of many ribbons. The beautiful thing about Gingham ribbon is the way its checks come in many colors and goes with natural elements like burlap and sisal twine. Blue and White, Green and Cream, are two other classic combinations to use. Whatever type of Gingham check you find, that is the color theme you can use, and the cheerful Gingerbread men will happily pair up with any and all of them.

It looks pretty and traditional with the red and white peppermint canes and the red,green and white colors of Christmas. It is a very old fashioned and well loved look to use for your Christmas celebration.

A tree designed in this theme can be very simple, but it can also be done up in lots of glitz if gold is added to the mix. The intricate white icing designs are also very detailed and sophisticated if that is the look you wish to see.

For me, I like the simple and cozy look of the Gingerbread, peppermint, and gingham be-ribboned tree.
And I LOVE the cute little Schipperke dog ornament :)

Holiday baking recipe book

gingerbread men