Sweet Tradition

Gingerbread Houses Spread Joy Across NIH

The overall first place winner was “A Night on RT Street” by the CC's Respiratory Therapy program.

Photo: Dana Talesnik

Winning team from the CC poses with Aiyelawo.

The winning team, the CC’s Respiratory Therapy program, who created "A Night on RT Street," poses with CC acting CEO Pius Aiyelawo.

Photo: Dana Talesnik

a winter wonderland, labubus on a luge, ski slope and the 5 colorful Olympic rings

The CC’s hospital epidemiology and biostatistics and clinical epidemiology service took second place with “Labubu Winter Olympics.”

Photo: Dana Talesnik

Second-place winners hold their certificate, pose with Aiyelawo

The second place team, who created Labubu Winter Olympics, poses with Aiyelawo.

Photo: Dana Talesnik

The yellow brick road toward Emerald City with little candy microbes and Glinda in her bubble

“Wickedly Infectious” by NIAID’s Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases came in third overall.

Photo: Dana Talesnik

The third place team, from NIAID, who created Wickedly Infectious, poses with Aiyelawo

Photo: Dana Talesnik

A gingerbread of the operation board game, with cartoon man and light-up red nose, and several organs displayed on the sides

NIDDK Clinical Core and Mass Spec Lab’s “Operation”

Photo: Dana Talesnik

NCI's Dr. Steven Rosenberg at podium as patient gets immunotherapy infusion with writing on an open book

NCI's Night Before TIL

Photo: Dana Talesnik

A hand holds candy cells that lead to a gingerbread house with a brain for a roof

"Battlefield of JCV and T Cells" by the NINDS experimental therapeutics unit

Photo: Dana Talesnik

gingerbread men and snowmen hang out by different buildings, with M&Ms lining the paths.

“Snow Day at NIH” by the CC Central Hospital Supply was Kids Choice third place winner.

Photo: Dana Talesnik

Little snowmen on candy cane sleds go down the hills.

Kids Choice first place went to “Festival of Lights” by NICHD’s section on translational biophotonics

Photo: Dana Talesnik

An ambulance with peppermint tires and an ICU with labubus outside

Kids Choice second place went to “Code Labu BLUE” by the CC’s 3SWS

Photo: Dana Talesnik

The CC Nursing Department's "Minions: Santa's Little Helpers"

Photo: Dana Talesnik

Every December, NIH’s much-anticipated gingerbread house decorating contest brings holiday cheer to staff, patients and visitors alike. This year, a record-setting 92 NIH teams submitted creative confections, which will remain on display in the Clinical Center atrium through Jan. 5.

Some creations reflected pop culture, from Wicked to K-Pop Demon Hunters to plush monster dolls called Labubu. A few teams took innovative takes on classic games such as Monopoly, Candyland and Operation with a scientific twist. Others built houses showcasing their lab’s work.

“Each gingerbread house brought a unique story, a burst of imagination and a little bit of holiday magic to our hospital,” said CC acting CEO Pius Aiyelawo. “Departments from across NIH came together with remarkable spirit to build these beautiful creations…They bring smiles to patients and families who may be spending their holidays here with us. And most importantly, they remind us of the heart, creativity and humanity that define this hospital.”

Contestants were grateful to the Foundation for the NIH (FNIH) for donating the kits. NIH’s Recreation & Welfare Association (R&W) and the Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences (FAES) contributed the gift cards to contest winners.

See all of this year’s contestants on the CC’s Facebook page: https://bit.ly/4pZ4zut.

Gingerbread Houses Spread Joy Across NIH

The NIH Record