MACON, Ga. — Gingerbread has long been a holiday staple in many households. But how did it get to be associated with the most wonderful time of year?
Well, the story starts centuries into the past.
"Ginger root was first cultivated in ancient China where it was used as a medical treatment, but it wasn’t until the 10th century that the Chinese began to bake gingerbread," according to a blog post from Bellevue University.
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In Egypt and Greece, it was often used in religious ceremonies through the 17th century,
By the Middle Ages, ginger found its way to Europe and it was immediately popular, as a digestive aid and preservative, then as a tasty cookie.
Spices were incredibly expensive. As a host, if you served generously spiced food –perhaps sprinkled with cinnamon – it was a way to demonstrate your wealth, according to englishheritage.org.
"It also served a practical purpose at feasts. Gingerbread was served as a sweetmeat at the end of a meal as part of the ‘void’ or ‘voidee’. Initially, the ‘void’ was the term used for the clearing of the table between courses. By the 15th century, the voidee described the sweet course served at the end of the meal to aid digestion and sweeten the breath," the website says.
It goes on to say that as spices became more available, gingerbread became associated with fun. Many people would begin to eat it at fairs and other celebrations.
This is when people began to mold it into fun figures like the iconic gingerbread man.
Due to the treat being already associated with merriment, it is no wonder how it later became a Christmas staple.
In 16th century Germany, people began to make elaborate gingerbread houses.
"Centuries later, the Brothers Grimm’s tale of Hansel and Gretel and the house in the woods made entirely of candy, boosted their popularity. Soon gingerbread houses, now adorned with candy and other confections, became more and more festive and synonymous with the holiday season," the post from Bellevue University said.
Today, households across the world enjoy a sweet treat humans have been using to express their creativity for centuries.
EnglishHeritage.org also lists a gingerbread recipe you can use to make your own creations at home.