The Seattle Gingerbread Village

One of my favorite holiday traditions is to go visit the Gingerbread Village on display at the Seattle Sheraton Hotel. For the past 20 years, some of Seattle's best architects and chefs have worked together to design and create these fantastic works of art to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

These elaborate gingerbread houses are equipped with lights, amazing detail and often moving parts. I always try to go to see them at the beginning of December to really put me into a holiday mood. It is a fun activity for people of all ages and I can spend an hour or more looking at all of the intricate details of each of these masterpieces. Each year there is a different theme. The theme for 2013 was "There's a Rhyme and a Reason this Holiday Season" and it features gingerbread houses inspired by children's nursery rhymes. It also includes participation by visitors - you can vote for your favorite in person, online or by texting from your phone.

The village is assembled and put on display starting around Thanksgiving each year and since it is in a hotel it is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and admission is free, although donations to JDRF are encouraged.

I'm sharing some photos I took at the 2013 Gingerbread Village as well as those from 2012 an 2011. This year's entries are Jack and the Beanstalk, London Bridge is Falling Down, Hickory Dickory Dock, I Saw a Ship A-Sailing, There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe and Hey Diddle Diddle.

All photos © Vicki Green, PNW Travels, unless otherwise credited

The theme for the 2014 Seattle Gingerbread Village is "Jingle All the Way" and the six entries used themes from popular Christmas music. All were unique and imaginative, with three using a single song and the others combining more than one song into their gingerbread masterpieces. Take a look at each of the photos and then take the poll at the end to vote for your favorite!

For anyone who wants to move past the basic gingerbread house and create an amazing gingerbread house like the fantastic ones displayed at the Seattle Sheraton Gingerbread Village each year, this book will provide ideas and instructions.

In 2012 the theme for the Seattle Sheraton Gingerbread houses was "Once Upon a Time" and it featured gorgeous gingerbread castles from varied themes including the Brother's Grimm Fairy Tales, Beauty and the Beast, Narnia's Ice Queen, Aladdin, Alice in Wonderland and even the undersea castle of the Little Mermaid.

The theme for the 2011 Gingerbread Village was "Holiday Express" and as the title suggests, it featured trains and replicas of train stations from around the world including New York, London, New Zealand, Canada, Australia and the North Pole. Watch the video below to see how this amazing gingerbread creation was made.

If you've ever wondered how these fantastic works of art are designed and made from gingerbread,candy and other goodies. Watch this video to see how the 2011 Gingerbread Dunedin Train Station (finished photo above) was created.

The Gingerbread Village is located inside the Seattle Sheraton Hotel. The annual event is free although donations to the Juvenile Diabetes Association are appreciated.

If you are just a beginner at making gingerbread houses or are all thumbs, like me, there are many simple gingerbread house kits to get you started on creating your own holiday tradition.