A gingerbread house contest is one of those Christmas activities that sounds like a lot of work but is actually just a bunch of people having the best time with icing and candy. No complicated rules. No stressful setup. Just creativity, friendly competition, and a lot of laughing at each other’s architectural choices.
If you’ve been thinking about hosting a gingerbread house contest but weren’t sure where to start, you’re in the right place. This guide covers everything: how to set it up, what supplies you need, how to run the voting fairly, gingerbread house contest ideas for making it feel like a real event, and how to send everyone home with an actual award.
If you’re looking for even more Christmas party game ideas to round out your holiday plans, The Ultimate Guide to Printable Christmas Games has everything you need for a full night of festive fun.
Let’s get into it.
What Makes a Gingerbread House Contest Actually Fun
Here’s the thing about gingerbread house decorating: people love doing it. But without a little structure, it can end up feeling like everyone just quietly decorated and went home. Adding a contest format turns it into something people remember.
A few things make all the difference.
- Numbered entries. Assigning each house an entry number instead of using names keeps the voting anonymous and fair. It also adds a little mystery to the whole event, which guests love.
- A real voting process. Passing out actual ballots and collecting them in a bowl makes the whole thing feel official. It turns a casual activity into a real competition, and people take it more seriously in the best way.
- Awards for everyone. This is the part that really lands. First, Second, and Third Place are the obvious ones, but Judge’s Choice, People’s Choice, and Honorable Mention mean almost everyone leaves with a certificate. And handing out awards at the end? That’s the moment the whole party is building toward.
Gingerbread House Contest Ideas: Setting It Up
The good news is you don’t need much to pull this off. Here’s what to gather before the party:
- Gingerbread house kits (one per person or team)
- Extra icing, since kits never have enough
- Extra candy for decorating
- A voting box or bowl
- Pens or pencils
- Tape or hot glue to keep houses together while building
- Paper plates or trays for each house so they’re easy to move for judging
- Prizes if you want to reward the winners
- A timer or some Christmas music to set the mood
Set up a decorating table with all the supplies in the center. Give everyone 30 to 45 minutes to decorate. That’s the sweet spot before focus starts to drift and someone starts eating more candy than they’re putting on the house.
How to Make the Decorating More Fun
Put on a Christmas playlist. It sounds simple but it completely changes the energy in the room.
Take photos of every house before voting starts. People love having a picture of their creation, win or lose. It also doubles as a great group photo moment.
If you’re mixing kids and adults, consider running two separate categories so everyone has a fair shot at winning. Kids against kids, adults against adults.
How Many People Do You Need?
A gingerbread house contest works with as few as four people or as many as you can fit around a table. There’s no minimum or maximum. The voting works the same whether there are 4 houses or 20.
How to Run the Voting
Once decorating time is up, this is where the contest comes to life.
Step 1. Hand out entry number labels. Have each decorator place their number next to their finished house so voters can identify entries by number, not by name.
Step 2. Put up your voting display sign so everyone knows where to cast their vote and what they’re voting for.
Step 3. Pass out voting ballots. Give guests a few minutes to walk around and look at all the houses before making their pick. Everyone writes the number of their favorite house on their ballot.
Step 4. Collect the ballots in your voting box or bowl. Use a results tally sheet to count the votes quickly. Whoever has the most votes wins People’s Choice.
Step 5. If you have a designated judge (or you want to play judge yourself), hand out the Judge’s Choice award separately. This one doesn’t go to a vote. It goes to whoever impressed you most, whether that’s the most creative design, the most detail, or the house that somehow defied the laws of physics.
Handing Out the Awards
This is everyone’s favorite part. Call out the winners one by one, hand out the certificates, and let people take photos. It’s a small thing that makes the whole event feel complete.
The certificates are worth taking seriously. There’s something about holding a physical award that makes the moment real, even for adults. Especially for adults.
Don’t skip Honorable Mention. There’s always at least one house in the group that deserves recognition even if it didn’t win, and the reaction when that certificate gets handed out is always one of the best moments of the night.
The Easiest Way to Host: A Printable Gingerbread House Contest Kit
If you want everything in one place without having to design anything yourself, the Gingerbread House Decorating Contest Kit from Print Joy Studio has every piece you need, ready to print.
What's Included in the Kit?
7 certificatesFirst Place, Second Place, Third Place, Judge's Choice, People's Choice, Honorable Mention, and one blank certificate you can customize. Everyone walks away feeling like a winner.
4 per pageGuests write the number of their favorite house and drop it in the voting bowl. Simple, fair, and adds a fun element of suspense to the whole event.
4 per pagePlace one next to each finished house so voters can identify entries by number instead of name. Keeps the judging fair and a little mysterious.
8.5 x 11"Tracks votes for up to 20 houses. Two columns: gingerbread house number and vote tally. Makes counting quick and easy so you can announce winners fast.
8.5 x 11"A festive sign that tells guests where and how to cast their vote. Set it up next to your voting bowl so there's no confusion about what to do.
8.5 x 11"Step-by-step instructions with a full supply list so you're ready from setup to awards. Everything in one place so you don't have to figure it out on the fly.
Ready to host your contest?
Download, print, and let the best gingerbread house win.
Get the Kit on Etsy →Here’s what’s included:
- Voting Display Sign (8.5 x 11″)
- Entry Number Labels (4 per page, print as many as you need)
- Voting Ballots (4 per page)
- Contest Results Tally Sheet
- 7 Award Certificates: First Place, Second Place, Third Place, Judge’s Choice, People’s Choice, Honorable Mention, and one blank certificate you can customize with your own category
- How to Host Instructions Page with a full supply list
Everything is designed to match, so it looks pulled together without any extra effort. Just download, print, and you’re ready to go.
Get the Gingerbread House Decorating Contest Kit here: Shop the Kit on Etsy
Quick Tips for a Great Gingerbread House Contest
A few things that make the experience even better:
Set a clear time limit and announce it at the start. Thirty to 45 minutes is plenty, and having a countdown creates some fun pressure.
Have extra supplies on hand. Icing runs out faster than anyone expects, and extra candy means nobody has to sacrifice their design because they ran out of gumdrops.
Use paper plates or small trays under each house. It makes moving finished creations to the display area so much easier, and keeps your table from being covered in icing.
Don’t rush the voting. Give people a few minutes to actually walk around and look at every house. Half the fun is seeing what everyone created.
Ready to Host Your Gingerbread House Contest?
A gingerbread house contest is one of those Christmas traditions that’s easy to start and nearly impossible to stop doing every year. Once your guests experience the voting, the awards, and the friendly competition, they’ll be asking when you’re doing it again before they even leave.
Set out the candy, put on some Christmas music, and let the best gingerbread house win.
Grab the printable Gingerbread House Contest Kit here: Shop on Etsy and have everything ready to go in minutes.
If you want to keep the party going after the awards are handed out, How to Throw a Stress-Free Christmas Game Night is a great next step for the evening.
