When it comes to the treats that we associate with Christmas, there are tons. However, none are as popular as Gingerbread. Think about all the memories you have of Gingerbread cookies. Chances are you had these during the holidays, and they were decorated with red and green giving them that Christmas feel. However, when did Gingerbread men really start to be seen as something that was all about Christmas?

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the invention of Gingerbread men came to be. She loved all things sweet and even had a dedicated gingerbread baker on staff. During gatherings during the holidays, she would get the baker to make these gingerbread men and decorate them in the likeness of the dignitaries and people from her court. During this time, gingerbread men were often given out by folk medicine practitioners since ginger was known for helping to settle the stomach. In addition, many young women would make gingerbread men and give them to the one that they wanted to marry as the tradition stated that if the man you gave this to eat this, then you would get married.

The invention of tin cutters in the mid-1800s really helped the idea of gingerbread men take off as the official cookie of Christmas. Once everyone could get a cutter, these were often made and hung onto trees…something that even today people are doing with their slim artificial Christmas trees. Making these gingerbread men to hang onto slim artificial Christmas trees, or making a batch that you can eat is something that just about everyone is doing these days. If you love gingerbread men and are looking for a theme for your slim artificial Christmas trees, you cannot go wrong with combining the two. Everyone loves gingerbread men!