ginger 2012 – let’s judge some people

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Are you getting excited? There’s a lot of Ginger 2012 coming your way in the next few days! Lemme tell yah, I’m totally stoked that y’all like gingerbread as much as I do. This year’s entries are massive epic, so I know you’re gunna love ’em.

Here’s how the voting in this wee competition is going to work: there will be ginger structures to vote for tomorrow (Wednesday, December 19), and on Thursday, December 20th. Winners from the first two days of competing will go on to the finals on Friday, December 21st. You will see the entries organized according to the date they hit my inbox. That means you’ll see them in the same order that I did, which seemed like a fair way to get this party started.

You will see that some entries are… rustic. We’re talkin’ primitive structures held together with royal icing and love. Some entries have clearly been erected by people who live for ginger (and nothing else). These structures probably took the better part of a year to construct. That, people, is the beauty of movita competitions. I bring people together, and let ’em duke it out holiday style. Some of you will say: why don’t you have a separate category for children? Or, it’s not fair when I have to compete against ginger professionals! Quit yer whining, and grow a set of lady parts. You know things don’t work that way around here.

Here is your voting schedule – please plan your lives accordingly. Also, if you don’t know what/when Atlantic Standard Time (AST) is, google it.

• Wednesday, December 19, 2012 – polls will open at about 8:00 am AST and remain open until about 8:00 am AST the following day.
• Thursday, December 20, 2012  –  polls will open at about 8:00 am AST and close at about 8:00 am AST the following day.
• Friday, December 21, 2012 – The Finals – polls will open at about 8:00 am AST and remain open until 8:00 am AST the following day.
• Saturday, December 22, 2012 – winner officially announced, national holiday declared.

There has been a change to the polling systems since last year’s competition. In the past, repeat voters were blocked by cookie only. But during Bake My Cake 2012 a couple of party poopers thought I had somehow rigged the interweb and pre-determined the contest winner. (Good grief.) So, repeat voters will now be blocked by cookie and IP address. Polldaddy says this could be problematic for some voters. I’m really sorry if that is the case, and that’s why I haven’t used this option before. But that’s how it is. Because of the poopers. (sigh.) 

That said, I encourage competitors to use ANY means possible to win. Email yer family. Blog it, tweet it, facebook it. And tell your supporters to do the same. If you find a shortcut in the voting system? Have at it. All’s fair in love and ginger! Remember, it’s not necessarily the best entry that wins, people. No, it’s the competitor who best uses the interweb to promote the living crap outta their ginger masterpiece.

So, meet me back here tomorrow. Let’s judge some strangers from the interwebs!