Karen Gardner Wins Gingerbread House Decorating Contest

Christmas in Clinton, held Dec. 2, had many winners including a best soup contest by Ceniccola's Italian Deli and Pizzeria and Karen Gardner, who won "Best in Show" in the Gingerbread House Decorating contest.

The 2nd Annual Clinton Gingerbread House Decorating Contest Winners:

Best of Show: Karen Gardner - Holiday House (90 votes)

Best of Show Runner Up: The Pretty Committee - The Morgan School (82 Votes)

Category Winners:

Pre-K: Trevor Snow - Candy Train

Joel School (tie): Eve Gardner - The Lorax and Ben Snow - The Woman Who Lived In A Shoe

Pierson School: Sarah Auletta - The White House

Eliot School: Madison Seeger - Christmas Village

Family: Sullivan Family - Old Brick

Adult: Karen Gardner - Holiday House

Business: Pretty Committee - The Morgan School

A message from Sandy Luke, coordinator of the Gingerbread House Decorating Contest:

It was another successful year with Clinton’s Annual Gingerbread House Decorating Contest! Entrants stepped up this year as all the entries from the Pre-K kids to the Adults and Business were nothing short of incredible.

Thank you to the generous spectators who purchased tickets to vote for Best of Show. More than $250 was raised for the Families Helping Families oil fund.

Best of Show was hotly contested as two entries produced professional quality entries. In the end, Karen Gardner’s holiday house (or some said their dream house) edged out the Pretty Committee’s The Morgan School by 90 to 82 votes. It is because of the fabulous work by these two and all the entries that Families Helping Families will keep another Clinton family warm this season.

This contest wouldn’t be possible without the support and generosity of many people and businesses in our community.

Once again, the First Church of Christ opened their doors and allowed the use of their beautiful fellowship hall. Pastor Chris and the congregation are always helping even when it was not asked of them.

The super talented Amy Trahant of Take Aim Photography, with her Best of Show Award-a photo shoot. This award alone entices many to work extra hard to produce top quality entries! If you or someone you know is getting married, put Take Aim at the top of the list for photographers, you will not be disappointed!

Thank you to Williams-Sonoma for their generous hot chocolate packages for awards and to Liz Isaacson for the children’s Stone Cold awards.

Pete and Marie at Technique Printers, you both are fantastic and take care of any and all printing needs with super quick turn around times.

Thank you to the many friends of Clinton Gingerbread who help out whenever and with whatever is needed.

I also want to thank a special group of people who work hard all year long to make sure Christmas In Clinton is a great family day for all to celebrate: Ellen Cavanagh, Lee Stec, Donna Marcinek, Jane Scully Welch, Harriet Juel, Alyson Roberts, Liz Isaacson, Jan Klepacki, Gloria McQueeney and Leah Saunders.

These folks have been having meetings and organizing all the groups who participate in Christmas In Clinton since January. They will be back at next week to start planning for an even greater Christmas In Clinton 2013.

Thank you all so very much, I hope you are inspired to enter next year.

With Great Appreciation,

Sandy Luke!