Del Val’s International club hosted its annual Gingerbread House Making Contest in the Commons on Dec. 5.

During this competition, 10 teams consisting of two-to-five participants per group competed against each other to win stockings filled with a variety of candies.

Each team, using their creativity and resourceful skills, sculpted their gingerbread houses based on a country of their choice. The countries that were chosen by the teams were Switzerland, France, USA, Greece, Germany, Italy, Korea, Japan, Brazil and Mexico.

Students participating in the competition took their building to the next level by not only creating a blue print for their house, but also by bringing a few homemade elements to decorate it.

“The day before we came up with a blue print, and we brought outside stuff with us,” Alexandria Coward, a sophomore on Switzerland’s team, said. “Kai cut up pieces of her Christmas Tree so we could put up little trees and bushes, I brought in extra sprinkles for grass because I knew there weren’t going to be enough… I brought colored popsicle sticks as skis, so we prepared.”

This event was also an outlet for students to express their creativity by creating unique designs for the country they decided to represent.

“We’ve got a team who’s trying to build the Eiffel Tower,” the advisor for the International Club, Debra Billman, said.

According to those who competed and attended the event, it was an exciting and competitive experience that surpassed last year’s competition.

“I had a lot of fun, and I think it was a good bonding experience with friends,” Kairi Lambert, a sophomore on Switzerland’s team, said.

Voting is taking place right now; students can view the gingerbread houses in the window across from the main office and vote for their favorite with the Google Form.