We all know Christmas is known for nostalgia, smells, sights, and sounds can immediately bring you back to your favorite childhood memories. It could be the beautiful melody of your favorite christmas song, the warm and bright lights that surround your window, or the sweet, spiced scent of freshly baked gingerbread that lingers in the house. The smell of gingerbread can bring back many fond memories for most of us. Between decorating elaborate gingerbread houses with your friends and competitive family competitions, gingerbread has touched many of our hearts. 

Surprisingly, the origins of gingerbread have nothing to do with Christmas; the earliest version of gingerbread actually came from Egypt all the way back in 2400 B.C.! Gingerbread consists of many spices like cinnamon, clove, and, of course, ginger, which were imported from Asia . It wasn't until the Middle Ages that the spice trade introduced Europe to these new spices. Europeans created their own versions of gingerbread using the expensive spices in order to show off their wealth. As spices became more accessible to the common person, gingerbread grew in popularity and was served on special celebrations. In Germany, bakers began detailing elaborate designs on gingerbread shaped like houses and people; this concept became more well known after the children's story, “Hansel and Gretel” by the Brothers Grimm, gained popularity. Over time, decorating gingerbread houses merged into a well-loved Christmas tradition, but not much is known about how it happened. 

Gingerbread desserts are a holiday favorite because of their unique sweet and spicy flavor. While they have an amazing taste, they are laborious and time-consuming to make. If you are willing to spend a few hours baking, I can promise the reward for these cookies is high! Even if they aren't the tastiest they’ll add some extra spice to your holiday! Here is a great recipe for gingerbread cookies:

Works Cited:

Ball, Aimee Lee. “The (Not Always) Sweet Holiday History of Gingerbread.” Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 8 Oct. 2020, www.marthastewart.com/1523540/gingerbread-holiday-history. 

Lortkipanidze, Tamar. “Why Do We Eat Gingerbread at Christmas?” Yummy Bazaar, 26 Oct. 2022, yummybazaar.com/blogs/blog/why-we-eat-gingerbread-at-christmas.

English Heritage. “A Short History of Gingerbread | English Heritage.” English Heritage, www.english-heritage.org.uk/christmas/a-short-history-of-gingerbread.