It’s the tastiest and most aromatic time of year! As air laced with scents of ginger, cinnamon and spice percolates throughout NoVA, channel your inner creativity with one of these gingerbread house events. And for a full listing of holiday events in NoVA, check out our Holiday Guide!
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The One That’s Big Enough To Walk Through
You can’t eat the gingerbread house on display at the Ritz-Carlton in Tyson’s Corner, but you can certainly take a tour! Once you’ve finished peering through the sugary windows and resisting the temptation to lick the walls, get some gingerbread decorating tips from the masters at the hotel’s Gingerbread House Decorating Class, taught by the staff’s top pastry chefs. House open daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Classes held Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 16, 10 a.m. & 1 p.m. / The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, 1700 Tysons Blvd., McLean, 703-744-3925; ritzcarlton.com/tysons; $70 per child age 3 to 12.
The One Where You Can Vote
Take a stroll through Historic Old Town Manassas, where entries from the 17th annual Gingerbread House Contest are on display. Then get online and make your voice heard by casting your vote for the best one. Voting ends Dec. 15. / Old Town Manassas, 9431 West Street, Manassas; (703)-361-6599; visitmanassas.org; Free.
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The One With A Theme
Get extra creative with the gingerbread house contest and exhibit at Ferry Farm and Kenmore in Fredericksburg. The theme for this year’s contest is “Songs of the Holidays”. Figure out the best way to incorporate music into your candy creations and you could take away the blue ribbon! Or just take a walk through the exhibit and feed off the creativity of other artists. Dec. 1-30, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (except Dec. 24-25). /Kenmore Visitor Center, 1201 Washington Ave., Fredericksburg; 540-373-3381; http://www.kenmore.org; $5/adult, $2.50/child.
The One With The Expert
Want to make a gingerbread house but unsure of where to start? Debbie Boyd can help! Expert crafter and gingerbread house frost-er will be holding a class for children and adults alike to channel their inner ginger creativity at this Culpeper Event. Dec. 15, 12 p.m.-4 p.m. /Community Room, 303 N. Main Street, Culpeper; 540-727-3412; http://web.culpepercounty.gov/CountyGovernment/ParksandRecreation.aspx; $25/adult, $20 first child, $15 second child.
The One In A Fancy Ballroom
Gingerbread doesn’t get much more sophisticated than this. Take the whole family to this interactive gingerbread-making event, hosted in the Lansdowne Resort Ballroom. Dec. 16, 9 a.m.-Noon, 2-5 p.m. / Lansdowne Resort, 44050 Woodridge Parkway, Leesburg; 571-291-7649; lansdowneresort.com; $89 (reservations required)
