That gingerbread house press release.

The tradition continues.

Back by popular demand (two mates have asked me why I haven’t sent it out yet), here’s the media release I wrote when nobody was looking when I was working for the Victorian Building Commission.

It should help you if you’re constructing a gingerbread house in the next day or so.

And don’t forget to Snap Send Solve a report to council if you see a dangerous gingerbread house in your travels.

Speaking Snap Send Solve, we had our street Christmas party last night. Most of the conversations centred around comparing all the complaints everyone’s made to the council about annoying building constructions and trigger happy council/electric company arborists in the past year.

Seeing a big halt on construction on one particular site, it turns out that complaints do work!

And it was also nice to hear a consensus that nobody minded a squatter living at the abounded house with the beautiful lemon tree I wrote about last year (link).

But we all mourned the loss of that lemon tree. The building owners cut that dear old tree, a seville orange tree, fig tree, mandarin tree and olive tree to keep the neighbours out of the backyard.

Here’s the thing. It was suggested that the owners who cut down those trees are grand children of the couple who planted those trees 60 something years ago.

Appalling if true.

Anyway, here’s the press release you’re here for.

A gingerbread house yesterday.

An important safety reminder for those who are building gingerbread houses this Christmas.

What starts as a delightful Christmas project for all the family could end in tears and havoc due to shoddy and amateurish gingerbread house construction.

While you’re not required to get a permit or have a Registered Building Surveyor inspect your gingerbread dwelling before occupancy, we recommend you consult with a Registered Sugar Rendering and Plastering Specialist (RSRPS) beforehand.

Understandably RSRPS’s are very busy at this time of the year so you might be able to secure the services of a know-it-all uncle or expert cake-maker grandmother.

These warnings come close after tragedy was averted in Glen Waverley last night when a mother and grandmother (who prefer to remain anonymous), were carefully placing the roof on their three storey candy Cape Cod inspired creation.

“Someone opened the backdoor and the dog dived for some dropped icing on the floor under our feet,” the daughter explained. “One thing led to another and before we knew it, the mezzanine level was running out the door!”

Last night’s accident is a timely reminder to all Victorian ginger building owner builders to take responsibility for the ongoing maintenance of their worksites to ensure that they are safe.

Research for the Building Commission’s recently launched “Check your ginger deck” campaign showed that three people in Victoria are inflicted with serious injuries of credibility and ego annually as the result of gingerbread home accidents.

Seasonings greetings everyone!