Flowers are lovely, of course. And arrangements of seasonal fruits and pine—lady apples, clove-studded oranges, pomegranates, pine cones and branches—have been our centerpiece of choice.

But how about an edible centerpiece that becomes part of dessert?

There’s nothing more charming than an old-fashioned gingerbread house as a holiday centerpiece. And if the gingerbread is top quality, it’s a joy to be part of the “demolition crew.”

You can serve it at the end of a big holiday meal with ice cream—a much lighter choice than most cakes and pies.

We have to give props to the creative bakers who’ve thought “outside the house” to produce these two gingerbread centerpieces.

To grace your table, a gingerbread train. Photo courtesy Mackenzie Ltd.

ALL ABOARD THE GINGERBREAD EXPRESS

Destined to become a classic, this three-car gingerbread train (photo above) replaces the traditional gingerbread house with a whimsical choo choo.

Entirely edible, the train is a memorable holiday centerpiece that will delight children and adults alike. If you know model train enthusiasts, it makes a delightful gift.

It’s 21 inches long, $59.95, at MackenzieLtd.com.

This stunning centerpiece is also 100% edible. It measures almost a foot tall and 15″ across. You can provide some optional old-fashioned carousel music during the dessert course.

With an impressive amount of hand decoration, the gingerbread carousel is $149.95 at MackenzieLtd.com.
Both the train and the carousel are made of high-quality gingerbread and arrive fully assembled to immediately grace your table.
 
Here’s the history of gingerbread, which evolved in 15th-century Germany. The Medieval German Lebkuchen Guild (lebkuchen is German for gingerbread) turned it into a highly-decorated art, crafting fancy shapes decorated with sugar and gold.