Gingerbread house party part 1 (1981-1987)

This is a 4 part history of my gingerbread house party which has been held for 25 years

This is the story of my gingerbread house party. My 2 friends Elsie and Pat, and I were taking the Diploma Nursing program and had spent 3 ½ years on this project, which included looking after children, commuting to Kelowna from Vernon (30 miles) and about 65 hours a week for classes, studying, and practicum. In the final month, December as we studied and car pooled we kept saying that there had to be more to life than studying for exams. We decided it would be fun to make gingerbread houses and planned a date for when we finished classes and exams. On December 9, 1981 we made 3 large gingerbread houses and each decorated one. I had so much fun I decided to continue this for a Christmas tradition. The tradition has evolved over the years but one constant is my friend Elsie who has come every year faithfully except the second year when we were in Vancouver.

1981

Pat, Elsie, Sharon

Dec 9, 1981 start of making gingerbread houses with Elsie, Sharon, and Pat (3), we made 3 large houses.

1982

Dec 17 Unfortunately after finishing and getting my R.N. there was a downturn in the economy so we moved to Vancouver for 10 months, but I wanted to continue with gingerbread houses as part of the tradition for Christmas so made them with my sister Bonnie. We made 3 a little bit smaller houses and the kids who loved them.

1983

Dec 20 Attending: Elsie, new comers-Marge, Marie (4) (Pat had moved away). We were back in Vernon and making gingerbread houses became more of a party. There were 4 of us and we made 8 smaller houses. This time we included my 3 children in the party and the adults each took a house home. Jody gave hers away to a boy in her class that did not have very much. I gave one to my grandfather and one to 2 friends.

1984
Dec 18 Attending: Elsie, Troy, Lisa, Jody, new comer-June, (5) This was more of a couples event, with Elsie’s and June husband there visiting with my husband. We made 9 houses and my kids enjoyed the party and decorating a house. I gave some of the extra houses away and people really liked them. The gingerbread house making party was now a tradition for Elsie and myself.



1985

Dec 19 Attending: Elsie, June, Troy, Lisa, Jody, new comers-Lizanne, and Christine (8) and Vera . This was a 2 part party with 8 people the first day and we made 11 houses. This was Christine’s first time and she enjoyed it so much she has attended almost all of them since. The next day my mother came from Vancouver and decorated houses with the kids, we gave some of them away.

1986

Dec 17 Attending: Elsie, Christine, Troy, Lisa, Jody, new comers-Donna E, Liesa and her niece, Robert and Eira (11). Donna loved it and has come every year since as part of her Christmas tradition. The party got to be more fun as more people joined in and things got more chaotic. Somehow the number roof roofs, sides, and end pieces never seemed to match, but just added to the fun.

1987

Dec 8 Attending: Elsie, Donna E, Bonnie, Vera, June, Rebecca, Joel, Lisa, new comer-Phyllis and Ray (Lisa’s boyfriend) (11). Christine was in the hospital and we sent her a house and candy and icing to decorate there. Made 12 houses. My mother and sister organized their houses and took them home on the plane. My mother loved her house and put it in the freezer and takes it out for a Christmas decoration. Phyllis rescued a very lopsided house and made it into a beautiful church. I did not enjoy this party as much as usual because I felt very nauseated and it turned out to be esophagistis and I was in the hospital 2 days later.