Thirty teams will put their gingerbread house decorating skills to the test on Friday night at the annual Student Activities Board sponsored Gingerbread Wars.
At 7 p.m. on Dec. 3, teams of two to three students will have 30 minutes to build a gingerbread house, plus three mystery ingredients to incorporate into their creation.
The judges will award prizes for first, second, and third place, as well as for the best dressed and most spirited teams.
Director of Student Activities Zane Mabry ‘20 said judges will be looking for the creativity and presentation of the creations as well as the incorporation of the mystery ingredients.
“Every year it just blows me away how good some of the houses are,” Mabry said.
Mabry said the Gingerbread Wars are more about having fun than serious competition.
“We wanted to celebrate Christmas together, and building a gingerbread house captures a childhood part of Christmas,” Student Activities Assistant Program Director Riley Arlinghaus ‘21 said. “It’s a very nostalgic season, and this is a fun way to take something you do with your family and bring it to your college family and do it with your friends.”
The event will give students a break from the busyness of their last week before finals.
“The last week of classes is always really stressful,” Arlinghaus said, “and this is a really fun way to have a little competition and have some laughs and make a memory with friends at the end of a stressful and full week.”
SAB will provide hot cocoa for both participants and spectators.