Holiday Gingerbread Showdown - General Discussion

[mlp]

I was happy that Mark won.  The other two had very nice displays but the theme was not at all obvious.  I thought the woman who did the coffee factory was a PIA.  I recognized Mark the minute I saw him but I just can't recall from where.  He's a cake artist in his spare time so I suppose he was on one of the Wars shows.  

I wish Kerry Vincent had returned too.

[40Love]

2 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

The lady’s coffee shortage was adorable and so detailed. I really thought she would win.  Her handmade coffee beans and sugar cubes were genius!

I think if she had bigger windows or lights inside... so the judges could see her extraordinary work better, she would have won. Judges also said her theme wasn't clear until she explained it to them. Even with all that, I would have picked her to win.

[mlp]

I finally watched the finale and I was happy José won.  I would have been happy for Mark if he had won.  The woman from Canada was just too smug and impressed with herself.  Her house was very nice but her gremlins were bad and they weren't the focus of the piece.  The house was.  

I wish they'd stop with the time out.  It's not amusing and adds nothing but irritation to the show.  

Paige drove me nuts on Trading Spaces but I didn't mind her at all on this show.  She seems to have calmed down a few notches.

[Spunkygal]

I really missed this show this year and also the one hour special on the National Gingerbread House Competition held in Asheville at the Omni. 😢 Hoping those return next year. 

[Pepper the Cat]

Anyone else watching? 
I felt so bad for the team that had their piece collapse. 

[Spunkygal]

7 hours ago, Pepper the Cat said:

Anyone else watching? 
I felt so bad for the team that had their piece collapse. 

I forgot that this forum existed! Yes, I am watching and am fascinated with what they do with gingerbread. You rarely see a collapse like we saw on the last episode. I’m glad they’ve done away with having the tasting element in the middle of the bake and the winner of that segment gets to ring the bell and suspend construction for the other teams for X minutes. I never cared for that.

[Spunkygal]

The winning team tonight had an impressive display but I wouldn’t have called it a greenhouse. Maybe a conservatory? Or an atrium? But they deserved the win. The lodge house display was cute but not executed that great. And then we get to Alex asleep in bed. Creepy! Alex had a big head stuck near the bottom of the bed. With no room for a body. They should have scaled the head down a little and made more of an effort to shape a body under that fabulous quilt (which was genius.) I guess I need to go google Breegan Jane. I know they say she’s a interior designer but she just seems like a random choice as a judge. 

[CheshireCat]

The large gingerbread pieces of the lodge house looked like they were predestined to break; they looked thin to begin with and thinner towards the bottom than they were in the middle. I'd never make construction gingerbread that thin.

I think the sleeping kid didn't entirely meet the light-show theme. There were a lot of lights but it wasn't exactly a light show.

The winning piece looked really beautiful. I thought it might be a bit simple when they showed the concept drawings but the final piece looked stunning. The win was well deserved!

[mlp]

Greenhouse didn't seem like the best description of the building but it looked great and was technically sound.  I would have been shocked if it hadn't been the winner.  

As stated above, the quilt in the sleeping boy display was amazing but the face was creepy and it wasn't apparent that the shelf over the bed was a cloud holding his dreams.  The lodge was better but I thought that the giant tree was all out of proportion with the rest of the piece.

[Rammchick]

I agree with everyone else's assessment.  The proportions were so off the sleeping boy that it was distracting.

And what's with the chintzy prize, Food Network?  $10,000 worth of something is just taxes they have to pay on something they don't really want.

[MerBearHou]

Agreed -- the minute I saw that big creepy kid's head, I knew they'd lost.

The winning gingerbread structure was beautiful, if misnamed as a greenhouse.

What is the deal with this odd prize they're receiving?  Just give them the cash.  Obviously, it's a tie-in with Walmart but not as desirable.

[crazycatlady58]

14 minutes ago, MerBearHou said:

Agreed -- the minute I saw that big creepy kid's head, I knew they'd lost.

The winning gingerbread structure was beautiful, if misnamed as a greenhouse.

What is the deal with this odd prize they're receiving?  Just give them the cash.  Obviously, it's a tie-in with Walmart but not as desirable.

And I don't understand all the contestants picking out an ornament for their prize but only the winner opens theirs. Do they all have the same prize and this is a way of extending the suspense? Does everyone get something and they just show the winner?

[Rammchick]

1 hour ago, crazycatlady58 said:

And I don't understand all the contestants picking out an ornament for their prize but only the winner opens theirs. Do they all have the same prize and this is a way of extending the suspense? Does everyone get something and they just show the winner?

No, I suspect that all the ornaments have the same prize (or something equally as undesirable) but only the winner opens theirs.

[Pepper the Cat]

The problem with the prizes is that only 1 person can get it. How do you share a $10,000 home theatre with your assistant?

 

[Grizzly]

I thought the unpleasant baking component would sink the greenhouse team but I guess the baking part doesn't count? Am in the minority but I liked the Alex display. Thought the baking element would give them the win. Maybe she should've named her character Tiny Tim.

[CheshireCat]

9 hours ago, Grizzly said:

I thought the unpleasant baking component would sink the greenhouse team but I guess the baking part doesn't count?

I don't think it was as unpleasant as the editing made it sound; it seems that only the isomalt wasn't the best choice but that they were baked and filled perfectly.

 

 

9 hours ago, Pepper the Cat said:

The problem with the prizes is that only 1 person can get it. How do you share a $10,000 home theatre with your assistant?

Also, how many home bakers used the money that they won to open up a business? They can't do that anymore which is a pity.

[Maverick]

 "What that potato chip think going on around your window?"   ROFL at Nacho throwing the not-so-subtle shade.   Potato chips and ramen block do not a gingerbread house make.

On 11/30/2021 at 3:48 PM, crazycatlady58 said:

And I don't understand all the contestants picking out an ornament for their prize but only the winner opens theirs. Do they all have the same prize and this is a way of extending the suspense? Does everyone get something and they just show the winner?

Jesse said there were 5 ornaments on the tree so I think each ornament is supposed to have a different prize but only the winner gets to see what they picked.   Logically there's no reason to have 5 ornaments if they have the same prize, but it's FN so it could all be show.  

 I'm not feeling this season.   Jesse is way better than Molly as host but I think the best version of this was the Halloween one with Sandra Lee as host and Jason and Jameka as judges.  

[Rammchick]

The winning display was beautiful, but oh boy, $10,000 to spend at Walmart.  Yay.

[CheshireCat]

46 minutes ago, Rammchick said:

The winning display was beautiful, but oh boy, $10,000 to spend at Walmart.  Yay.

The contestants know that beforehand though, don't they? At least, I hope they do because knowing what I could win, I wouldn't sign up for this competition as this is something I wouldn't want to win.

[Maverick]

 $10k at Walmart is much better than $10k in specific merchandise from Walmart.  If nothing else you can buy groceries with it.  At the rate they're going up, it would come in handy.   They may be able to use it at Sam's too.  There's no way I'd pay the taxes on one of those merchandise packages though.

 Either way it's a crappy prize.   $10k has been the FN baseline for their competition shows for decades.  People continually claim the prize on Chopped needs to be upped.  And on this show it's not even just showing up for one day to compete.  You have to start this stuff a week in advance.  

[ShelleySue]

Is it my imagination or in the past were the completed gingerbread designs better? I do remember there being drama with pieces arriving broken, but I don’t remember so many disasters once they started assembling them. I’m not talking about the whole rain/humidity thing which was unforeseen. But I’m wondering if the contestants themselves just aren’t as high caliber as in the past (not that I could do better). 

[Taeolas]

The winning design was miles above the other two without a doubt. 

As for the designs in general, they don't seem too far off. Maybe it's the weather affecting things more in general (as was the case this time); did they film earlier than usual, maybe when it was in a more humid time of year? 

And while it isn't cash, 10k at Walmart (probably split between two people) isn't that bad, especially if there are families involved. the only real problem with giving prizes instead of cash, is the taxes issue. You get 10k in prizes but you need to pay your own taxes on that 10k prize value. With a cash prize, you'd be able to pay the taxes out of the prize pool so you aren't out anything. 

 

Did they actually say it was a 10k Walmart shopping spree? The Canadian version of it didn't say what company the shopping spree (or however they phrased it) was for; though I did notice "Walmart" in the end credits. 

[Pepper the Cat]

I think they should be able to control the temp/humidity of the working space better. 

To have things fall apart because of humidity seems unfair.

[ShelleySue]

5 hours ago, Taeolas said:

And while it isn't cash, 10k at Walmart (probably split between two people) isn't that bad, especially if there are families involved. the only real problem with giving prizes instead of cash, is the taxes issue. You get 10k in prizes but you need to pay your own taxes on that 10k prize value. With a cash prize, you'd be able to pay the taxes out of the prize pool so you aren't out anything. 

I wonder how the prizes are allocated.  In something like The Big Bake they are splitting $10,000 among a three member team. But on this show there is a baker and an assistant.  Is it up to the baker to determine how much, if anything the assistant gets? Sometimes I think that the assistants are undervalued because they come up with the twists.

 

15 hours ago, Maverick said:

 $10k at Walmart is much better than $10k in specific merchandise from Walmart. 

I may be wrong, but I think one week the prize was something like $10,000 worth of sporting goods/equipment.

[Grizzly]

Knew the toy store would win since it was the only one that met the challenge. As soon as the guy explained his idea to Breegan, I'm like you're not winning. And can someone really not be able to tell royal icing from buttercream?

[mlp]

I thought the toy store looked rather sparsely furnished but it was clearly the winner.  The child and dog looking in the window just made it.  The arrogant male baker's display wouldn't have won even if it had been complete because it only marginally met the theme and that required explanation.

I think this show was filmed in the same tent that FN has used for the other baking shows during the pandemic.  I suppose it's a lot harder to control heat and humidity in a tent than in a building but I felt for the competitors' frustration.  I think the judges took all that into consideration.

[Maverick]

 This is filmed in the convention center of a hotel.   When the one contestant had a meltdown a few weeks ago, they showed Kardea following her out to the hall to talk her off the ledge.  They also showed the hotel during the Spring Baking Championship I think, so I assume it's where all the Baking shows have been filmed post-covid.  

[mlp]

2 hours ago, Maverick said:

This is filmed in the convention center of a hotel.   When the one contestant had a meltdown a few weeks ago, they showed Kardea following her out to the hall to talk her off the ledge.  They also showed the hotel during the Spring Baking Championship I think, so I assume it's where all the Baking shows have been filmed post-covid.  

I think hotel and tent are both true.  Many of the baking shows were filmed at the Terranea Resort in a tent attached to the hotel proper.  I read somewhere that some of the FN people involved even stayed in tents while there.  

[CheshireCat]

On 12/8/2021 at 5:22 PM, mlp said:

The arrogant male baker's display wouldn't have won even if it had been complete because it only marginally met the theme and that required explanation.

Maybe I didn't catch something but I thought the bakers had to make a window display. I was confused because the judges were suddenly all about the window in the display itself which I thought was weird.

While I found him quite full of himself as well, I think it could have been a cute window display for a camping or outdoor equipment store.

I thought it was a pity that part of the fireplace fell. The base of the fireplace seemed not very sturdy though to begin with and I thought it was very hard to make out what it was supposed to be. (Which I find sad because I would have loved to see it finished. As a matter-of-fact, I wish we could always see what the displays were supposed to look like in the end).

[Grizzly]

Wow. That pair that met at the airport did not gel at all. Doubt they will stay friends with the woman who introduced them. The baking assistant did not seem to be into it at all. Felt bad for the gingerbreader. At least they had a finished display. The winning display was very cute with all the details. And I loved all of Jesse's gnome puns.

[CheshireCat]

The couple that met at the airport should have put two climbing gnomes on the pole and explained the tilting that way. 😂

I loved all the displays; they were adorable. The one from the couple who met at the airport was slightly less refined but they all had great detail. And the gnomes were so cute!

I would have been fine with either the vacation display or the other one (not the Santa letter one) winning.

 

[libgirl2]

15 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Wow. That pair that met at the airport did not gel at all. Doubt they will stay friends with the woman who introduced them. The baking assistant did not seem to be into it at all. Felt bad for the gingerbreader. At least they had a finished display. The winning display was very cute with all the details. And I loved all of Jesse's gnome puns.

I could swear I saw daggers in their eyes almost the whole time! Not good! 

Which display won? I fell asleep right before the end. 

[Grizzly]

Vacationing gnomes won, the pair in blue who were sisters. 

The prize was 10k in groceries.

Edited December 14, 2021 by Grizzly

[mlp]

51 minutes ago, Grizzly said:

Vacationing gnomes won, the pair in blue who were sisters. 

The prize was 10k in groceries.

I didn't think any of the displays were as good as some on previous shows but I did think the right team won.  

10K in groceries is a nice prize and one that can be split between bakers.  It's a LOT better than 10K worth of sporting equipment or whatever that earlier prize was.  The problem with a non-cash prize, as people upthread have said, is that the winner has to pay taxes on it.  I'd much rather have a cash prize and pay the taxes out of the winnings right up front.

[libgirl2]

20 hours ago, mlp said:

I didn't think any of the displays were as good as some on previous shows but I did think the right team won.  

10K in groceries is a nice prize and one that can be split between bakers.  It's a LOT better than 10K worth of sporting equipment or whatever that earlier prize was.  The problem with a non-cash prize, as people upthread have said, is that the winner has to pay taxes on it.  I'd much rather have a cash prize and pay the taxes out of the winnings right up front.

With the price of groceries, that is a nice prize, but yes, taxes stink, though I would rather pay it for groceries than sporting equipment! 

[Grizzly]

Carla needs to stand in between Stephanie and Kalen. The fuschia and red together is hurting my eyes. What is up with Lerome and his assistant always chest bumping? Good to see him again. His display is pretty clean. Just the drones are clunky and need explaining. The other 2 displays are much busier. Like the judges, I loved the grotto. Not thrilled with the parade. It's nice that the winning baker receives something.

[CheshireCat]

They had Christmas in the Future on Christmas Cookie Challenge in one of the last seasons and I disliked it as much as I disliked it now. Christmas hasn't changed all that much since it's inception. As a matter-of-fact, the Three Kings already brought gifts to Baby Jesus, so I really don't know what they expect? There will likely be advances in technology but I doubt that the overall celebration will change all that much. And those advances in technology will be everywhere and won't just concern Christmas, so what are you supposed to do?

I think this was reflected in all three displays because none of them screamed futuristic. They all had some futuristic elements but overall, they all looked pretty traditional.

Did Regina really say she was making 80 Gingerbread Houses per season or did I mishear?

What was up with the writing on the outside walls on Mollie's and Melissa's display? Who writes on the outside walls? I'm sorry but if you don't plan to ice it with (thicker) royal icing, that's just stupid and I would not have given them the win because of that alone. It's one thing if a piece breaks or something that is sort of beyond your control happens. But this was completely unnecessary and I don't think it should happen at such a competition.

I agree with the judges about Desiree's dessert fitting the best. The hoverboards fit as well, however, they didn't look as neat. And the fact that the trees didn't have tops did make them more futuristic looking.

But when they tasted the desserts, did Stephanie really say that the coating chocolate could have used a little salt because it was so sweet? Salt, the one ingredient that is added to anything sweet because the opposite is said to bring out the flavors and therefore, would have let it appear sweeter? Alrighty then.

[Guest]

5 hours ago, CheshireCat said:

They had Christmas in the Future on Christmas Cookie Challenge in one of the last seasons and I disliked it as much as I disliked it now. Christmas hasn't changed all that much since it's inception. As a matter-of-fact, the Three Kings already brought gifts to Baby Jesus, so I really don't know what they expect? There will likely be advances in technology but I doubt that the overall celebration will change all that much. And those advances in technology will be everywhere and won't just concern Christmas, so what are you supposed to do?

"Christmas in the Future" might be kind of an odd theme and not greatly executed here, but Christmas has changed quite a bit even in the last 100 years, let alone since its inception. So it's certainly possible that some traditions will fade and new ones arise in the future.

Edited November 8, 2022 by tracyscott76

[CheshireCat]

8 hours ago, tracyscott76 said:

"Christmas in the Future" might be kind of an odd theme and not greatly executed here, but Christmas has changed quite a bit even in the last 100 years, let alone since its inception. So it's certainly possible that some traditions will fade and new ones arise in the future.

That was the German in me speaking. :-) Sure, Christmas has become more commercialized in Germany as well but the core traditions of Christmas haven't changed all that much and a lot of them already existed in the Middle Ages (eg Christmas trees, festive dinners, Christmas carols, nativity play).

I think all displays captured the things that are most likely to change - floating floats, a change in architecture, automation, a more modern sleigh.

[Rammchick]

18 hours ago, CheshireCat said:

That was the German in me speaking. :-) Sure, Christmas has become more commercialized in Germany as well but the core traditions of Christmas haven't changed all that much and a lot of them already existed in the Middle Ages (eg Christmas trees, festive dinners, Christmas carols, nativity play).

Heehee -- the German in ME was having a conniption fit over the walls of Lerome's piece not being straight 😂

As for the other piece that had the notes still showing on the walls, how dumb was that?  Why weren't those walls turned so they were inside the building?  Or, if they had to be on the outside, why weren't they painted to cover it up?  I know that they attempted to airbrush it, but it was clearly not going to be thick enough. To my mind, they should have lost just for that.

And as for the trees, all I could think was, how sad will it be that in 800-some years, there won't be any real trees left 😞

[Guest]

51 minutes ago, Rammchick said:

And as for the trees, all I could think was, how sad will it be that in 800-some years, there won't be any real trees left 😞

Charles Schultz anticipated this back in 1965 😕

[bilgistic]

Stephanie's mouth is so distracting. I yearn for the day duckbill lips fall out of fashion.

[ruffy666]

23 hours ago, bilgistic said:

Stephanie's mouth is so distracting. I yearn for the day duckbill lips fall out of fashion.

lol from the front it's not that noticeable but the camera operators must hate her because they kept doing profile close-ups where it's all quackity quack

[bilgistic]

"Quacking quack" has me howling!😂😂😂

Edited November 11, 2022 by bilgistic

[Spunkygal]

On 11/10/2022 at 11:34 AM, bilgistic said:

Stephanie's mouth is so distracting. I yearn for the day duckbill lips fall out of fashion.

Me too, but I love her sense of humor!

[MerBearHou]

2 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

Me too, but I love her sense of humor!

I do too.  She's one of my favorites for her smart humor.

[Maverick]

 I thought you all were exaggerating about Stephanie but wow, she looks like she had been made up as a character from Escape from LA for the Halloween show and someone forgot to remove her makeup.  WTF?  I didn't notice her looking like this on that show.   Did she have work done between the two or does whoever is styling her on this show hate her?

 Between this show, Halloween Baking and Holiday Baking, too much Carla.  It seems to be FN's M.O. lately to run someone into the ground.  Aaarti on the Wars shows, Alex G. a few months ago, Anne Burrell earlier this year.   They have enough people, mix it up some.  

[bilgistic]

Lest we forget that Guy Fieri's 12 shows are on all day, every day.

😂😂😂

[Grizzly]

Carla! That outfit is hideous! Kalen is subtle in comparison. I know I've seen Annissa before. The other 2 look familiar too. Ooo an assistant getting a little uppity. The structure of the factory is impressive but I think all their details will get lost inside. Aw the spa didn't quite come together but the massage penguin was adorable. And the tub and chair were good too. Carousel is probably the most complete scene.

[MerBearHou]

2 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Carla! That outfit is hideous! Kalen is subtle in comparison. I know I've seen Annissa before. The other 2 look familiar too. Ooo an assistant getting a little uppity. The structure of the factory is impressive but I think all their details will get lost inside. Aw the spa didn't quite come together but the massage penguin was adorable. And the tub and chair were good too. Carousel is probably the most complete scene.

I thought the same thing — to Carla’s stylist:  in what world did that top and pants go together?!  Hideous combination!  Kalen was funny tonight quietly narrating the goings-on between the duos and their dramas — Real Housewives of Gingerbread.  Though I do like him (always have since the bougie Mac & cheese video), does Kalen have any actual baking expertise at all?   Except for the mother/daughter, these duos hardly seemed like they had even met each other before.  I really did not care for the assistant on the carousel.