The annual Auburn Gingerbread Village returned to the The Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center again this year.
The village was first unveiled on Dec. 5 after the City of Auburn's Christmas Parade and will stay up throughout the month of December. Per the Auburn-Opelika Tourism website, over 10 gingerbread buildings are on display in the foyer of the Auburn Hotel for guests to admire.
The buildings presented in the Gingerbread Village are modeled after buildings in Auburn, such as Samford Hall and the President's Home. According to the hotel's website, the Auburn Gingerbread Village is the largest gingerbread display in East Alabama.
The village is a collaborative effort between University students and faculty and culinary experts at The Hotel at Auburn University.
"Each year, models of buildings in the village created by construction and design students and faculty are decorated by hotel chefs," per Auburn University's website.
The first Auburn Gingerbread Village was created in 2008. Todd Scholl, director of sales and marketing for The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center, said that the village also contains a contest for children.
"The contest hidden within the Gingerbread Village is for kids 12 and under to find Star Wars action figures," Scholl said.
"Adam Keeshan and Chef Leo created the contest a few years ago," Scholl said. "The Gingerbread Village is free to view through New Year's Day and features our chosen charity, Storybook Farm."
Storybook Farm is a nonprofit organization that helps children that have experienced adversity through the joy of interacting with animals.
"Storybook Farm is here to provide youth experiencing serious life-altering circumstances with some serious life-changing help," the nonprofit's website says. "Storybook Farm's animal-assisted and nature-based programs center around what kids are passionate about, what they are interested in, and what they love."
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Harlee Meydrech, senior in public relations with a minor in business, is the assistant managing editor at The Auburn Plainsman.
