It is time for the annual Gingerbread house contest at Ballantyne Hotel and resort
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/community/south-charlotte/article121975459.html
It is time for the annual Gingerbread house contest at Ballantyne Hotel and resort
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/community/south-charlotte/article121975459.html
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i said to fred after we visited that this event was an example of why capitalism is the best system of economic organization.
the ballantyne hotel hosted the competition (a local grocery chain — publix — was the sponsor.) there was no admission charge but the hotel put out little envelopes to vote for the people’s choice award (minimum $1 donation per vote) with the proceeds going to the local children’s hospital here in charlotte. and when you had finished touring the displays of the gingerbread houses the traffic pattern brought you to a life-sized gingerbread house with a nice young woman inside selling cups of hot chocolate (with an adorable gingerbread man served on the side) for $7 a pop.
everybody won. publix got gilt-edged pr; the kids’ hospital will get free money (the goal is $12,000); the ballantyne hotel built good will within the community (and they gotta be making a buck or two on the hot chocolate); and fred and i now have a wonderful memory to cherish from our first christmastide together.
read below for my husband’s response to my “yay, capitalism!” comment.
If this was in a Communist country, the event would have been organized by the Secretariat of Permitted Entertainment for the workers. Every entry would have received an equal prize, regardless of the number of votes. Attendence to show your support woukd be mandatory. The funds raised via the contributions would go to a good cause.
Not sure if it is ‘permitted’ nowadays, but I remember Domino’s Pizza world headquarters near Detroit had quite a large Creche collection and light show on-site, open to the public each year.