Kristal Symonds’ gingerbread house took top honours at a competition aimed at finding the most creative people on the Island.The 11-year-old was also voted best entry in the middle school category in the competition organised by charity, Passport to College, of Bermuda.“It took about two days to make,” said Kristal, who received some assistance from her mother. “I feel excited to win.”Kristal’s gingerbread house was decorated with miniature Christmas lights leading inside and used glass candy to form windows. Fairies on the lawn were hand-drawn. The Christmas tree was made of star cookies.Kayeb and Carmel Butterfield of Warwick Academy took home third place honours in the middle school competition.“It took about two hours,” said Carmel. “I think it came out really good.”Siblings Reem, Hana and Yusef Bushara worked together to create their entry. “With the end product we think it went really well,” said Yusef. “It took about three hours.”The competition was a regular fixture at Elbow Beach hotel until a couple of years ago. It was taken over this year by Passport to College, who wanted to revive it as a “fun, family-oriented activity”.The charity wanted to build on its relationship with students it helps through its college prep programme.“Elbow used to do this activity prior to closing and we [wanted] to bring it back to the community,” Robin O’Neil, the director of Passport to College, said.“It is a lot of work and can be very tedious. Building a gingerbread house requires discipline and focus. We felt we would pick [the competition] back up and have a feel-good thing going on.“April Caisey of Elbow Beach embraced the idea and welcomed us. In addition she asked us if we would leave the houses up until the New Year.“We had a primary school category, middle school and senior school, adult and family and professions. The hospital cafeteria chefs were planning to enter a phenomenal gingerbread house but didn’t get it ready in time it was hours from completion.“They do have it up in the lobby at the hospital. It is a church with a steeple and is fabulous. Hopefully next year we will invite the restaurants to compete and turn it into a fundraiser to help our programmes.”ResultsBest in Show: Kristal Symonds of Learning Express Academy;Primary Schools: First place, Steven Camara of Purvis; second place, Catherine Camara of PurvisMiddle Schools: First place, Kristal Symonds of Learning Express Academy; second place, Ms Gina’s class of Learning Express Academy; third place, Kayeb and Carmel Butterfield of Warwick Academy.Adult/Family: First place, the Butterfield Family; second place Rhonda Smith-Simmons; third place, Alexa Lightbourne.