There once was a bake shop on Edmonton streets, that built a tiny Whoville out of sweets
Duchess Bake Shop has brought back its beloved holiday tradition by creating a gingerbread village that will be familiar to Dr. Seuss fans.
This year's gingerbread creation is based on the classic Christmas story How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Garner Beggs, co-owner of Duchess Bake Shop, says they did a poll during the summer to decide the theme this year.
"Whoville won hands down," said Beggs.
Duchess Bake Shop created Whoville out of gingerbread as part of a clothing drive for the Bissell Centre. Nov. 17, 2021. (CTV News Edmonton)
Despite being entirely edible, construction of the village required tools that were a little more heavy duty than cookie cutters.
"I do things a little differently, I bake the sheets of gingerbread off, and then individually cut them out using a saw, and files and knives and things like that, and then glue them together with another sugar and top them off with the icing," said Beggs.
Beggs said he watched the 2018 animated version of The Grinch multiple times to figure out how to build the village.
"It's hard to actually make sense of the entire geometry of it, it took quite a few watchings and scrolling back and forth and screen shots to figure it out."
On Dec. 1, the Great Who Christmas tree will be added to the top of Whoville.
The cookie village is a clothing drive for the Bissell Centre and people are encouraged to bring warm clothing to give to the local charity.
"Ginch for the Grinch" is the theme, anyone who donates will be entered into the demolition draw. The winner will have a demolition party with five of their friends to knock down the village in the new year.
"Baseball bats and sledgehammers and they can be Godzilla for Whoville," said Beggs.
Jacek Chocolate Couture donated themed chocolate bars to Duchess, all proceeds of the Whoo Bars will also go to the Bissell Centre. The chocolate bars go on sale on Friday.
You can see the giant gingerbread Whoville at Duchess Bake Shop's 124 Street location.
In previous years, Duchess recreated the Hogwarts Castle from Harry Potter and a cathedral out of gingerbread.
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