CORNING, N.Y. (WENY) -- The holidays are here, and with Christmas 20 days away an annual tradition returned to Corning's Rockwell Museum. This year's Gingerbread Invitational offers eleven community members to showcase their gingerbread house talents. 

There is one rule though, artists had to stick to 2024's theme, "paradise." 

"Everyone took a really different approach to what paradise means to them," says the Director of Advancement and Marketing at the Rockwell Museum, Willa Vogel. "So for some people, it's a beach like you would picture, and for other people it's, you know, staying home cozy in bed and really diving into your imagination."

This year marks the 10th year of the Gingerbread Invitational, and it is the biggest, with more contestants than ever before. Event organizer, Willa Vogel says the event has become a beloved holiday tradition.

The applicants take the competition rather seriously. There are participants that return year after year to advance their next creation and to make it better than the year before. 

"We see some amazing details, some really creative use of materials. For example, you'll find a little bird's nest made out of spaghetti noodles this year," says Vogel. 

From the creative beaches to cozy hideaways, every design displays a creative spin on the idea of paradise. One gingerbread house is a rainbow that stretches across the sky close, and there's a hidden surprise in the back, a pair of dice, as a play on words.

The designs are on display through December 31st; voters can cast a ballot for their favorite. The Rockwell Museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week.

The museum is located at 111 Cedar St, Corning, N.Y., 14830.