Allen Countians have a sweet opportunity right now.
Until Monday, they may enter the Iola Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual gingerbread house contest.
Entry is free, and all cookie houses — even those built of graham crackers — are welcome.
Martha Heffern is again entering a graham cracker house, she said. This is her third year in the contest. She doesn’t enter to win, she said, but just for the joy of creating.
The first year, Heffern involved her sister, Ann Houk of rural Moran, and they created a joint farm/city scene, reflective of their chosen lifestyles.
“They’re so pretty,” Heffern said of finished creations that will adorn windows of downtown merchants throughout the month of December.
Anyone can enter: groups, businesses, individuals, all are welcome.
The underlying rule of the contest is that all components of the confection — save the cardboard it is mounted on — must be edible.
“Gumdrops, candy canes, any little sparkly candy,” are what appeal to Heffern, and what she uses to decorate her cracker homes.
Houses, be they from a kit, made of graham, or baked of homemade gingerbread, will be in the running for prizes. They will be judged by a professional baker, as well as the general public.
Categories divide creators rather than creations: schools and nursing homes, individual/family/friends, business/industry and clubs/organizations are the four entry levels.
Complete rules are available from the Iola Area Chamber of Commerce, 365-5252, 208 W. Madison Ave.
Heffern noted that one appeal to the contest is that all family members can help out, and the creation can be worked on over time.
“You can do some now and some later,” she said of decorating the homes. “It’s something you can work on quite a little bit.”
Heffern actually bought a gingerbread kit this year, but was disappointed when she constructed it and saw how small the houses were, she said.
So she’s back to graham crackers “iced together and sprinkled with candy to make the winter scene.”
