THE GINGERBREAD CHRISTMAS COOKIE SPECIAL

Christmas is coming up and that is why Yasha Young, director of the URBAN NATION MUSEUM FOR URBAN CONTEMPORARY ART, invited Berliner kids to a christmassy gingerbread event where the delicious pastries have been creatively designed by all the children. But not only that, also the multifaceted history of this wonderful Christmas tradition and the origin of the gingerbread spices were vividly brought closer to the participating kids.

Christmas is the celebration of love, giving and sharing. Each one of us is caught in a peaceful warmth when we smell the typical sweet Christmas scents. Undoubtedly, this pleasant feeling also came up on the afternoon of December 18th in the Production Office of URBAN NATION in Bülowstrasse 97 at the Gingerbread Christmas Cookie Special.

With Christmas treats, music and children’s punch, invited kids at the age of 4 to 12 years from Berliner institutions created glittering gingerbread men, richly decorated angels, colourful hearts and dazzling Christmas trees made of gingerbread. The young decorators received creative instructions for the imaginative delicacies from the URBAN NATION team and befriended artists. Afterwards the sweet works of art found a very special place on the large Christmas tree, which was donated to the neighbouring senior citizens’ home after the event. Of course every little confectioners were allowed to take one of all the masterpieces home with them.

“For centuries, gingerbread has symbolized the variety and spice of life and taught us that a wonderful whole can be created from many different ingredients,” says Yasha Young.

And truly, behind this delicious pastry, which we take for granted during the Christmas season, lies a long and traditional history full of diversity. This is also shown by the colourful mixture of different spices, which make a gingerbread so tasty. At a tasting station the kids were also able to guess the different spices such as cinnamon, star anise, cloves, cardamom, pimento and myrrh, lemons and oranges by smelling and tasting them and get to know them better interactively.

The smiling faces of the kids said more than a thousand words. It was great fun for all participants. Everyone was enchanted by the Christmas flair of the URBAN NATION Production Office, the children’s laughter and the big, richly decorated Christmas tree. A successful start for a blessed and joyous Christmas with the family. Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

photos by Nika Kramer