Joplin Museum hosts festive gingerbread competition at Holiday Open House

JOPLIN, Mo. — More than 40 gingerbread houses were built and shown off this afternoon.

The Joplin Museum Holiday Open House was in full swing today.

Part of the open house was the gingerbread competition.

More than 45 gingerbread houses are on display, ranging from miniature to larger houses.

Kids competed in three categories: mini kids, regular kids, and original design - and competed in age groups within the categories giving more kids the opportunity to win.

Contestants were given the rules in November and have been working on their designs since.

There was even a Christmas craft show and scavenger hunt for the kids.

"Oh I love it and I love to see the kids when they come in that maybe didn't get to participate in the gingerbread contest, their eyes just get huge and they walk around and like... *gasp* look at that! look at that! you know," said Kelly Reddin, Nana Claus.

The gingerbread houses will be displayed until December 20, after that, some of them will move to the Spiva Center where they will be on display.