jim miller/viewA train comes out of the tunnel in the Gingerbread Village located in the lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel, 3960 Las Vegas Blvd. South.
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Four hundred and twenty hours of labor, 350 pounds of sugar, 180 pounds of flour, 90 pounds of chocolate, 360 eggs and 180 pounds of honey are only a few of the ingredients needed to create pristine real estate property. At least that's the case at the Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas, 3960 Las Vegas Blvd. South, where 20 elegant properties are on display as part of the hotel's annual Gingerbread Village.
"Our pastry team spent endless hours on this project, as they do every year," said Erica Johnson-McElroy, director of public relations. "The detail is incredible, and everything is edible, from the mountains you see in the background to the sculpted figures placed throughout the village."
The village, modeled after an early 20th century Swiss settlement, is a site to behold: an iridescent township where festively dressed townsfolk wander through the snowy streets with the Alps as a backdrop.
Chef Jean Luc Daul and his team carved the elegantly sculpted confections.
"We start working on this project around August because it's very labor intensive and we want to make sure that each piece is just right," Daul said.
The display's centerpiece, a large holiday carousel adorned with bubbles, bells, ponies and elves, was created from gingerbread and chocolate, and, according to Daul, proved to be the most labor intensive.
"We start from scratch every year," Daul said. "Every building is unique. The carousel has a basic model, but it is made afresh every year."
Las Vegas resident Caden Hayes brought his 8-year-old daughter to see the display during a visit from California.
"She commented that it smells like candy," Hayes said. "It does smell great, but what I can't get over is the workmanship, from the police station to the fruit stand. There are tiny oranges on that fruit stand, and you can tell that they are oranges."
While hotel executives pride themselves on the display, the properties have more than an aesthetic and seasonal purpose.
"Each is actually for sale," Johnson-McElroy said. "And 100 percent of the proceeds raised from their sale goes to the Nevada Cancer Society."
The properties range from $250 to $500.
"We wanted to do something that would benefit the community aesthetically and philanthropically," Johnson-McElroy said. "That's when we started the village nine years ago."
The hotel's Teddy Bear Village, with stuffed animals on display courtesy of FAO Schwartz, also provides an opportunity for visitors to enjoy the spirit of the season.
Hundreds of bears sit in a parlor with a roaring fire behind them. A mommy, daddy and baby bear prepare near the tree for Christmas morning, while jungle animals gather on the opposite side of the room.
"Our Teddy Bear Village is very popular," Johnson-McElroy said. "There have been long lines through the lobby to see it in the past."
All of the bears are for sale, with 10 percent of the proceeds benefiting the cancer society.
"It all goes to a good cause," Johnson-McElroy said. "People can come enjoy these beautiful displays, and should they chose to purchase a property or a stuffed animal, their money is going to something that will make a difference in the lives of very sick people."
Both exhibits are featured in the hotel's lobby and are free to the public.
For more information, visit www.fourseasons.com/lasvegas.
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