A Christmas Tradition

Wednesday, December 15, 2010
General Manager Trish Williams and Director of Sales Ashley Dora stand next to the structure to show its scope.

GREENCASTLE -- Interested in renewing a holiday tradition, the new management of the Inn at DePauw took on a big task this month.

Having heard about the large gingerbread houses that used to stand in the old Walden Inn, the managers decided to revive the tradition in 2010.

And so, three weeks, 175 pounds of icing and 147 pounds of gingerbread later, the structure stands in the lobby of the Greencastle hotel.

After nearly three weeks of work, 175 pounds of icing, 147 pounds of gingerbread and untold numbers of candies and cookies, this oversized gingerbread house in the lobby of the Inn at DePauw will be completed this week. The gingerbread house is decorated with many different candy treats including lollipops, mints, cookies, candy canes, frosting, marshmellows and licorice sticks.

"We heard they used to do this years ago, and we wanted to bring back the tradition we heard had been so popular," General Manager Trish Williams said.

Williams, Director of Sales Ashley Dora, chefs Jim Roberts, Daniel Justiniano and Tim Morton, along with a number of other Inn employees, have been building since Thanksgiving.

Besides a frame of masonite pegboard, the remainder of the project is edible, including a gingerbread façade affixed with icing for glue. A number of other candies -- gumdrops, Lifesavers, marshmallows, red licorice, cookies and peppermint candies among them -- help round out the decoration of the house.

The house also features a lighted Christmas tree on the inside.

The public is invited to come see the house and its decorations as part of Tiger's Breakfast with Santa from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday. The morning will feature a chance to visit Santa and enjoy the Inn's breakfast buffet as well as a chance to see the house.

The Inn is located at 2 W. Seminary Street.

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