National gingerbread contest features sweet Millenium Falcon

A national competition running until the new year showcases the amazing things Canadians can accomplish with gingerbread, or else it proves some of us have way too much time on our hands.

The Inn at Laurel Point in Victoria, B.C. has launched voting for its national gingerbread baking contest, run in partnership with Habitat for Humanity to raise money for the charity. It invited creative people from across the country to enter elaborate designs made with the Christmas treat. All designs must be made entirely of edible ingredients, according to the hotel website.

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One of the most elaborate entries this year is a gingerbread model of the Millenium Falcon spaceship from the Star Wars films. The ship, submitted by a pub in Victoria, has details carved in icing and a tiny Chewbacca.

"Santa can deliver the presents so much quicker in the falcon!" one Facebook user pointed out.

Other entries include a Nightmare Before Christmas sculpture, the house from the animated film Up — complete with jelly bean balloons emerging from the chimney — and many snowy scenes of Christmas.

The pastry chef at the inn told the local television show go! Island that her creation took about 90 hours. She also said the type of gingerbread she had used might not taste very good because the texture was designed for the aesthetics. Too bad for anyone hoping to have a taste.

It's the first time the competition has gone national. Most of the entries are from businesses with the exception of a few individual submissions.

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Dessert after brunch? My bet's on gingerbread.