Conversation with a Gingerbread Gentleman
If you travel Chester streets these days, you will probably notice the Gingerbread People. These characters have seemingly come out of nowhere and now appear almost everywhere. You can find them lurking about on private residence lawns as well as around commercial businesses. Whatever is going on? Lawns are supposed to be vacant this time of year, not leasing their space to these usurpers– no matter how sweet they are.
When interviewed, a Gingerbread Gentleman claimed that these seasonal confections have been welcomed here for the past five years, causing enough of a stir to elicit what has become known as the Chester Gingerbread Festival.
Celebrations began Saturday, November 30th when the Gingerbread population inspired a tree lighting at the old Chester Train Station with visitors singing Christmas carols, enjoying hot chocolate, and even a visit from Santa himself. And you wouldn’t believe the extraordinary accommodations these characters inspire. Visitors can check them out at the Chester Art Centre until the end of the festival, December 15th . Be warned, however, that you may experience an urgent need for a trip to the local bakery to indulge the confectionery cravings they will likely evoke. You’d have thought that Christmas would have been sweet enough without all this gingerbread furor. “Nothing can top the Christmas message, of course,” the Gingerbread Gentleman said reassuringly. “We only aim to make a modest contribution.” Undoubtedly, though, their contribution keeps on expanding, despite the modest claim, as locals have been encouraged to increase their numbers. With this writing, lawns and gardens have hereby been put on notice about this recurring invasion. The Gingerbread Gentleman just smiled coyly at this impeding threat, and whispered what could be deemed by some candy aficionados as sweet wisdom, “What garden couldn’t use a little more spice?”
You will discover the Gingerbread population and their accoutrements making a genuine spectacle of themselves on Facebook at Chester Gingerbread Festival, NS, as well as on the website: chesterartcentre.ca. The Gingerbread Gentleman has invited his peers to check out these sites as well. He says they will, no doubt, see someone they know and enjoy a visit over icing and candy. They should be quick to go because everyone knows you can always trust the word of a gentleman.