Christmas came early to Belconnen this year as Canberrans young and old came together to learn how to make the perfect gingerbread house.
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About 12 people turned up at the Belconnen Fresh Food Markets on Sunday morning, for a two-hour class in the delicious Christmas tradition.
The class was led by professional cake maker Grace Tosic and participants were aged from eight to 65.
Ten-year-old Faith Carcavelos was taken as a surprise for her 10th birthday. ''When I told her we were going to the markets she complained and was like, 'Oh no','' said her cousin Sophie Efkarpidis. ''But when we got there she was like, 'Wow!' ''.
Participants were provided with gingerbread pieces, icing and a range of decorations, and encouraged to decorate their gingerbread house however they wished.
Ms Efkarpidis said she always liked to make gingerbread houses around Christmas time.
''To me gingerbread houses are Christmas-y all the way,'' she said. ''Faith put a little snowman [on hers], with a candy cane. It brought on the Christmas spirit.''
Organiser Laura Howes said everyone had loved the event, although gingerbread construction wasn't for the faint-hearted.
''It did get very messy at one stage, with a few collapses, but it was all fixable and everybody went home with a completely intact house.''
Ms Howes said because it was her last class of the year, she planned something with a bit more of a Christmas theme.
''Basically you think of Christmas you associate it with gingerbread houses,'' she said. ''We just wanted something that was fun and people could get involved in and have a bit of a go at.''
But according to Ms Efkarpidis, Faith couldn't wait until Christmas. ''She's having lunch now and then she'll have some of it,'' she said.
