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HAY RIVER - For some people, making gingerbread houses is as much a part of Christmas as Santa Claus and decorating a tree.

Gabi Morse enjoys eating a gingerbread house. The five-year-old is the daughter of Jill Morse, who operates a Hay River day home where the children made two gingerbread houses for the community's Festival of Trees. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

Just ask the kids at Building Blocks Family Day Home in Hay River.

All of them look forward to making gingerbread houses and decorating them with icing and candy.

"My favourite part is decorating it," said Marisa Carter. "That's all I want to do."

As for Kaylee Melvin, she also enjoys making the houses.

"My favourite part is making a mess," she said.

Two gingerbread houses from the day home – one made by boys and the other by girls – were among those displayed at Hay River's Festival of Trees on Dec. 13.

Jill Morse, the operator of the day home, said the children usually make gingerbread houses and gingerbread men before each Christmas, and they all enjoy it.

"I think it's eating the candy while they make it, and the icing," she explained.

Morse said the children at her day home – aged seven to nine – can't wait for Christmas so they can make gingerbread houses.

"I think it's the anticipation of the fact you only do it once a year," she said. "That's what makes it so special."

Gingerbread houses can be made from scratch or from kits.

On Dec. 16, the girls at the day home enjoyed eating the gingerbread house they made.

The girls gathered around a table and the gingerbread house was demolished in no time at all.

"They taste even better than they look," said Ally Carston.

Gingerbread houses are also popular in Fort Smith.

Northern Life Museum held a gingerbread house contest, which attracted 25 entries.

Laurie Young, the museum manager, said there were some very nice houses entered in the competition from adults and young people.

Young herself is a gingerbread house enthusiast, having made them for the past 20 years.

"For me, I like doing finicky things like this," she said. "I like the challenge."

Young makes her gingerbread houses from scratch.

"Those of us that are really into it make ours from scratch," she said.

In fact, she said she can spend 80 to 100 hours over six weeks making one house, which is the reason she didn't make one this year.

"It's a lot of work," she said, adding work includes creating a design.

She even makes stained glass windows out of melted candy.

Last Christmas, after making a gingerbread house and entering it into the contest, Young said she put it outside for the birds and squirrels to feast on. "They got the whole thing."