Gingerbread & Charlotte Mason
From Melissa Ferguson, Operations Director
Gingerbread men and gingerbread houses have long been staples of Christmas baking. Some sources even suggest that gingerbread has existed since ancient Egypt! While that claim is uncertain, we do know that gingerbread has been enjoyed since medieval times—though it was quite different from the versions we know today. For example, one early recipe didn’t include ginger at all! For me, gingerbread brings to mind traditional cut-out cookies, which I often find dry and bland. However, Charlotte Mason was familiar with a different kind of gingerbread—one that is much more flavorful and still available today.
In In Memoriam, a collection of tributes written after Miss Mason’s passing, Mr. H.W. Household recalls:
“Shortly after this time when Miss Mason had to realise the physical limitations due to ill-health, she had the great wisdom to order her life in such a way that every available grain of energy could be given to the work which was so dear to her, so that in the many future visits which I paid to her our excursions did not go beyond the beautiful daily drives in the near neighbourhood. These were taken in her little Victoria, driven by her faithful man Barrow. Here we looked for red-starts, and there to see if the daffodils were in flower, and some days we went round by Grasmere and bought ginger-bread from old Sarah Nelson.”
While attending the 2023 Charlotte Mason Institute Conference in the Lake District, I couldn’t resist visiting the same gingerbread shop. Established in 1854 by Sarah Nelson, this shop still bakes their famous gingerbread using a secret recipe reportedly kept in a bank vault. If you'd like to try something similar at home, there are recreated recipes and even a video tutorial available. For anyone who believes they don’t care for gingerbread, these recipes might just change your mind while offering a sweet link to Charlotte Mason’s life.
Notes
- Save the Date: The 2025 CMI Conference is coming, and we can't wait to gather with you on beautiful St. Simons Island, GA! Mark your calendars for July 24-26, 2025 at Epworth by the Sea, where this year's theme, "Guiding with Grace: Living out the Charlotte Mason Method," will inspire, equip, and refresh your heart and mind.
- NEW! CMI Immersion Masterclass: Dive deeper into the Charlotte Mason method with our Immersion experiences! Perfect for homeschoolers and educators, they offer practical insights and hands-on teaching. Virtual and in-person options available!
- CMI Advent Guide: The 2024 Advent Guide is here. The weekly format is rich enough to be used year after year and flexible enough for a busy family to supplement with other resources. Download here and share with friends!
- Mom Chat: Join us on Friday, December 13 at 2:00pm CT for a Mom Chat with Amy Fluharty to discuss “No Sugar-Coating: Lessons from a Seasoned Mom”. RSVP to the event here!
- Term 2 Exams: Term 2 exams are now available! You can find them in Step 5 of your Dashboard.
- No Office Hours: We will not be having Office Hours in December. Here is a recording of our discussion from last year about some of our favorite Christmas books.
