Celebrate the holiday season by decorating a paper gingerbread cutout after your favorite book character! You can either pick up your stencil from the Central Park Library during Lobby Service hours, or you can download the Gingerbread Character Contest Stencil and the Guidelines for the Gingerbread Character Contest 2020 and print them at home. If you choose to print at home, it is recommended that you print the stencil on cardstock. Only one entry per person is allowed. Decorate and submit your completed character during Lobby Service hours at the Central Park Library no later than December 7, 2020.

UPDATE: Please bring your Gingerbread Character Contest entry to the Central Park Library by 2pm on Saturday, December 5. You don't have to stand in line for Lobby services, simply hand it to one of our staff members standing outside. If you are unable to drop off your character tomorrow but were planning on bringing it by the library on Monday, simply send a picture of the front and back of your character to: cbossetti@santaclaraca.gov and your entry will be included in the contest. All entries must be received by Monday, December 7 at 2 p.m. Thank you and happy decorating.

Important dates

The Gingerbread Character Voting takes place December 9 to December 15.

The Gingerbread Character Contest winners will be announced December 17.

The Gingerbread Character and Prize Pickup will be from December 17 to December 31.

There are 5 different age categories and two grand-prize winners will be selected for each:

• Ages 3-5
• Ages 6-8
• Ages 9-11
• Ages 12-18
• Ages 18+

The top two “Most Creative” characters in each age group will win the grand prize.Winners will be announced on December 17. All participants will receive a prize! Grand prize winners will also receive a $15 Amazon gift card. We look forward to seeing your gingerbread characters!

Instructions

Using the template, cut out and decorate the gingerbread character to look like your favorite character in a book. Only one character per person is allowed. Please decorate one side of the gingerbread character only. On the back of your entry include the following information

• Name
• Age
• Title of the book
• Name of the character

(If you would like your character back at the end of the contest, please check the box on the back of your stencil. We will hand it back to you when you pick up your prize at the Central Park Library)

You are free to use whatever craft supplies you would like, except food. Here are some possibilities:

Colored pencils, markers, fabric, feathers, paint, etc.

Drop off your decorated character during our Lobby Service hours at the Central Park Library no later than December 7, 2020. All entries will be displayed in the library, and judging will take place online from December 9 to December 15.

This event is sponsored by the Santa Clara City Library Foundation & Friends.