Since I moved to Southern Oregon 13 years ago, I’ve marked the beginning of the holiday season by attending a delightful fundraising event for Medford’s Craterian Theater, a performing arts venue which hosts everything from Broadway touring companies to symphonic concerts, local dramatic performances to a range of music acts. The Gingerbread Jubilee is scheduled for the weekend preceding Thanksgiving, with all-edible (mostly gingerbread) 3-D creations vying for cash prizes and awards in student, adult and group categories (children and adults). It included a gala evening, live auction and a weekend of viewing open to the public. Pre-COVID, one would wander through lobby and mezzanine spaces of the performing arts center, admiring from all sides the skill and imagination of the amateur bakers.

Last year one could view the creations either via an online video or in person . . . but through large display windows to keep visitors outdoors and socially distanced, and the same accommodations were in place this year. I found it pleasant to be outdoors and not crowded into confined, overly warm spaces, but only a few of the entries were mounted on turntables so one could view them from every angle, and the distance from the viewer to the pieces was often greater than indoors. Still, the skill and attention to detail is apparent and much to be admired. My 4- and 7-year-old grandsons and I visited the works of art last Saturday and viewed them all more than once, noticing new details each time and the clever use of materials such as pretzels (fence posts and window panes), rosemary (trees and shrubs), Skittles and M&Ms (paving stones) to create delightful scenes.

There was no single unifying theme, but many focused on wintry and Christmas themes. I loved the elaborate roof designs and the “glass” greenhouse in this one, with the gingerbread character making a snow angel in the foreground. Another used an abundance of candy to create a sweet wonderland,   and one even imagined ice cream cone topiaries in a snowy candy land.   Several referenced favorite plays or movies, such as Hamilton  and Beauty and the Beast, . Included in this group were displays depicting Christmas-themed movies. Here is The Polar Express, but my favorite had to be the large and amazingly detailed bow to A Christmas Story, which managed to include the kid with his tongue frozen to the flagpole (waving flag included) , Ralphy on the front porch in his despised bunny sleeper and the entire house with lace curtains in the windows and the old car with working headlights and taillights in the driveway.

There were depictions of magnificent edifices, such as the Taj Mahal and a towering, elegant castle,   but also more humble scenes such as a gingerbread cottage and a cheery little train depot.

The winner of the Best of Show award and a stunner for its incredible decoration and detail was “Sweet Deception,” depicting Hansel and Gretel at the witch’s enticingly sweet cottage.   I particularly enjoyed the path paved in an intricate pattern of M&Ms or Skittles or the like, placed on their edges in a swirling pattern that reminded me of the stone-covered streets in Santoríni, Belém and Lisbon.

Once again, the Gingerbread Jubilee proved a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season, and I look forward to sharing the experience each year with my grandboys and helping it become their tradition, too.

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor