Linda Pederson (back, right) with her daughter DeAnne Tenberg and her granddaughters, Danielle (l) and Karley.

This is Thanksgiving week and a wonderful time to relax with family and give thanks for our many blessings.  Once the turkey has been picked and the leftovers stored in the refrigerator, however, it is time to start thinking about the Christmas holidays.

Today’s Around Davidson gets you in a festive mood with a wonderful story of a family gingerbread house tradition.  There are also two notes about a local DUMC gingerbread house, The  Spokes Group Christmas tradition and a reminder about gift wrapping your pooch for the upcoming Doggie Fashion Show.

A GINGERBREAD TALE

Gingerbread houses:  there are kits available in stores as well as in holiday catalogs or ones already made and decorated ready to place on your entryway table.  But made from scratch?  With plans determined six months in advance of the holidays?  Just ask Linda Pederson of Mooresville – gingerbread house creator extraordinaire!

Linda, happily married to Dean Pederson, took a cake decorating course as a bride some 48 years ago. Not long after, when her children were preschoolers, she saw a newspaper article with instructions on making a simple gingerbread house – and the rest is history.  Immediately devising her own pattern for a 15-inch tall house, she was hooked.  It soon was a Pederson family tradition to make a house the weekend after Thanksgiving and eat it on New Year’s Day (which according to custom brings good luck for the coming year).

Retiring to Mooresville in 2001 to be closer to children and grandchildren, Linda read about the Grove Park National Gingerbread House Contest.  She decided to pass her enthusiasm and considerable skill down to her grandchildren and encourage them to enter the annual contest.  Now in the family’s seventh year of competing, they have wonderful stories to tell.  The early years taught them a lot about design, composition, judging and being good losers.  Undaunted they would always begin talking about “next year’s entry” on the way home from Asheville.

Some of Linda and Dean’s children and grandchildren have moved back to the Midwest but granddaughters, 11-year-old Karley and almost-10-year-old Danielle, children of her daughter, DeAnne Tenberg, are still in “Gramma” Linda’s neighborhood.  After plenty of practice and placing in the top ten in their age groups, these sisters are setting their sights on a blue ribbon gingerbread “house” one year.  For these Cannon School students, this was their third year of competing at the Grove Park Inn. Planning began last August when they decided that this year’s theme would be “America’s Melting Pot.”  Competing against dozens of youngsters in the Youth (9-12) Division, they were thrilled to earn second place with their design.  (Read more in Linda’s own words by clicking here.)

Linda Pederson with her prize winning cooks, Danielle (r) and Karley, and their gingerbread creation.

Judging for this year’s “National Gingerbread House” competition at the Grove Park Inn was held on Nov. 16.  Categories included children’s (3-8), youth (9-12), teenage and adult, with more than 150 entries in the adult class alone.  Grand prize honors went to an intricate bird cage made of gingerbread.  Top entries including Karley and Danielle’s, photographed by Peak Photography, are now posted on the Inn’s website: www.groveparkinn.com (No, being a traditional “house” is no longer a required element…)  The Grove Park Inn will have the entries on display through the first week of January.  If you are in Asheville, be sure to stop by to see the marvelous creations and in particular, admire the work of these talented young Mooresville ladies with superb coaching by their Gramma Linda.

Thanks to you, Linda, for sharing your wonderful story of almost five decades of baking/decorating talent with family and community.  Writing about her years of being a part of so many gingerbread creations, Linda put things so perfectly in perspective with these words:  “On my 65th birthday, my daughter had my family and friends write me a letter, and she put it in scrapbook form along with some wonderful photos.  I thought it was precious that every child, even the 3 year old, didn’t talk about the money I spent on them, the toys or clothes I bought them, but talked about remembering making gingerbread together!  So, when all is said and done, it is the memory that is the most important!”

GINGERBREAD GOES LIFESIZE

Who else but Betsy Seymour would have a dream about creating a gingerbread structure that children can walk through?  Betsy, wife of the Senior Pastor of Davidson United Methodist Church in Davidson, is teaming with Linda Pederson (see above) to make this dream come true next Tuesday, December 1.  (No, this is not the Grove Park Inn variety of gingerbread but a very special creation right on South Main Street in Davidson!)

Got sweets? DUMC is looking for confectioner's sugar and other gingerbread house treats for a ginger-church project.

A bit of  pre -planning has already occurred with Linda’s husband making a wood base for the “house” which will actually be a nine-feet tall church complete with steeple.  A workshop early in November prepared the stained glass windows (melted Life Saver candies) and the wreathes for the windows (corn flakes with melted marshmallows tinted green).  The church bulletin has also encouraged donations of cinnamon graham crackers, red and green candies of all kinds, eggs and confectioner’s sugar.

What a workshop this will be beginning at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 1, in the Fellowship Hall at DUMC!  Adults and older youth who want to help should contact Betsy at 704.892.1222 or Linda Pederson at 704.799.1936.  It is anticipated that the church will be completed by 5 p.m.  Can’t wait to see the final product and the wide eyes of the children as they visit a real walk-through beautifully decorated gingerbread church.  Hope this becomes a tradition at DUMC!

PEDALING JOY

“We’re Pedaling Joy” is part of the logo for The Spokes Group of the greater Charlotte area.  Many of our readers know about this organization through our own Andy Beard whose name (as well as his son Will Beard) is synonymous with bicycles donated to the Salvation Army’s Christmas Bureau.   Hard to count the years (at least 15) that Andy has gathered donations of $70 for each bicycle (complete with helmet). 

When needy families with children begin to stream into the Christmas Bureau mid-December, they will have a chance to spin a wheel with the hope of having the arrow land on “bicycle,” a result that predictably brings whoops of joy that resound throughout the building.  The Salvation Army expects to make Christmas a little brighter for 13,500 needy children this year – with The Spokes Group providing 1400 shiny new bikes and helmets.

A donation in the name of a friend or family member makes a wonderful and certainly meaningful Christmas gift.  Every penny of a donation is spent on the bikes and helmets.  Visit www.thespokesgroup.com to find out more.  Andy says Thank You in advance and we say Thank You, Andy.

POOCH PARTY

Jaden Moore of Statesville with her dog, Snowy, dressed as a Christmas present - a favorite scrapbook photo from doggie shows past.

Well, not exactly a party but with dogs of all sizes gift wrapped or decked out in the latest reindeer attire, the Doggie Fashion Show is not to be missed.  Back on the agenda for Christmas in Davidson this year (by popular demand), the show is scheduled for 7 p.m. on December 4 in front of Campania Restaurant on South Main.  Dick Hay will be the gracious host/emcee and also the provider of healthy treats for your canine.  Be sure to register ahead of time since the show is limited to the first 30 who sign up.  For more info and how to let them know your “holiday hound” is coming, visit davidsonpaws@yahoo.com.

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Have news for Brenda? Write to her at hbarger@bellsouth.net.