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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Train derailed in Sarnia after colliding with a truck
Police are investigating after a transport truck collided with a train in Sarnia.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.