Vancouver Event: Gingerbread Lane at the Hyatt Hotel

Even though Christmas Day is over, you can still enjoy the festivities and the holiday spirit with different attractions in Vancouver.  

Gingerbread Lane at the Hyatt Regency Hotel conveniently located beside the Burrard Skytrain Station downtown Vancouver is open today and tomorrow for everyone to enjoy the gingerbread houses displays.  Secondary schools and culinary schools compete for first, second and third prizes in the friendly gingerbread competition.

The large display this year is a replica of Gastown and the Steamclock.  If you want to take a break from the hectic malls and shopping on Boxing Day, then step inside Gingerbread Lane for a little bit of Christmas to help you relax on a bustling day.  Hard to believe that these culinary creations are edible.  Enjoy!

1st Cookie Swap Exchange - December 2014

Hello Vancity Girlfriends,

December is here and the holiday festivities are near!  I remember that years ago, I didn't know what a "Cookie Swap" was and now I'm the organizer for one at work and am a participant for one with friends.  

At least I now know what  "Cookie Swap" is!  So for those who don't know, a cookie swap or cookie exchange is a party where the participants bake cookies for everyone else.  Normally you would bake 1 dozen cookies per participant, of course, when I organized my work "cookie swap" I reduced it to 1/2 dozen per person.  

Some people have really big "Cookie Swap" or "Cookie Exchange" parties, but that's not me.  Mine is simple, let's trade cookies, and then go home.  Or you get the idea.  The one with friends is a let's have an excuse to eat out in a restaurant, swap cookies, and then go home.  That makes it manageable instead of someone hosting a cookie swap.  After all isn't baking 4-5 dozen cookies enough work?  

For my work cookie swap my friend volunteered to bake the gingerbread men for me and I spent a morning decorating them with simple store bought icing.  They have the scribblers icing packages that are perfect for the job.  The gingerbread men stayed together for the photo shoot!

Gingerbread Men

Devinely Delish who gave me tips on how to take pictures of your baking so they look fabulous!  I have to admit that after I used her tips, I fell in love with cookie photography.  I want to bake just so I can take pictures!  

With the cookie swap, I was able to have my cookies to feed my hobby of foodie photography.  We have star shaped shortbread, jam thumbprints, and peanut butter reindeer.  Come back again to see my 2nd cookie swap cookies.  

Star Shortbread

Jam Thumbprints

Peanut Butter Reindeer