STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

The Advocates are in the midst of a project building 20 new units of housing for families transitioning into a better future. But this Christmas they have a new building that they hope will provide funding for their programs for survivors of abuse.

It’s dubbed The Advocacy Lodge. And it’s made out of gingerbread and surrounded by sugar cone trees boasting icing greenery.

The Advocacy Lodge is among the gingerbread concoctions that have been entered in Sun Valley Resort’s annual Community Gingerbread House contest. Individuals and groups have created the houses on behalf of various nonprofits, hoping to win first-, second- and third-place donations from Sun Valley Company.

The Wood River Land Trust fashioned this Gnome Sweet Gnome home.

Viewers can vote for their favorite houses through Dec. 31 at the Boiler Room in Sun Valley Village.

It’s not just gingerbread houses in the running.

One couple built a UFO out of gingerbread with banana chips at the base and a green alien waving through a skylight on behalf of The Advocates.

Wood River Community YMCA youth created “My Favorite Things,” complete with a climbing wall with toeholds made of jelly beans, along with a water slide, basketball court and Bonni’s Greenhouse. Tiny gingerbread men with even tinier M&M eyes and feet made of Red Hots represent the Y’s children.

The Advocacy Lodge was built on behalf of The Advocates.

The Sawtooth Society created “Our Wild Back Yard” with a large sockeye salmon and mountains made of gingerbread surrounding a cabin with a roof of Chex.

Men’s Second Chance Living built a ski hill covered with trees and toboggans. And the Sun Valley Culinary Institute created a stack of Christmas presents out of gingerbread with Pillsbury Dough-like chefs at top.

The Wood River Land Trust created a more traditional “Gnome Sweet Gnome” featuring a gingerbread cabin with a green icing vine, shredded wheat roof shingles, a foundation made of jelly beans that look like stones, yellow Chiclets representing the light emerging from the windows, an almond sliver walkway and sugar cookies shaped like trees accented by green icing branches.

Dennis Scholl built a home to look like the Mountain High Creamery in Ketchum on behalf of the Environmental Resource Center. The cabin boasts coconut flakes for snow on the roof; outside are tiny ice cream cones with twirled icing subbing for the ice cream.

The Sawtooth Society came up with a mighty big fish tale in gingerbread.

Addison Stavros created PJ and Whiskers’ Playhouse out of candy canes, pretzels and wafers for Mountain Humane. And the Gumdrop Gals—Cassie Bucknall and Cookie Cook—built a two-story tilted gingerbread house titled “Very Happy Unbirthday Alice in Wonderland” on behalf of The Hunger Coalition.

Others who made gingerbread concoctions included a Far + Wise fifth-grade class and Samantha Puglia who built a Mind Body Soul Wellness Center to benefit Flourish Foundation.

This is the fourth year Sun Valley Resort has staged the contest. Past contests have garnered winners $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000 for the nonprofit of their choice.

OTHER EVENTS TO ENJOY DURING SUN VALLEY RESORT’S WINTER WONDERLAND:

The Gumdrop Gals drew inspiration from Alice in Wonderland for this wacky gingerbread house.

JAZZ CHRISTMAS CONCERT

7 p.m. tonight—Friday, Dec. 19, and Saturday, Dec. 20, at the Sun Valley Opera House. Features the FAUNA jazz trio. Tickets are $30, available at www.sunvalley.com/events/let-it-snow-jazz-holiday-concert/.

RIVER RUN APRES MUSIC

2-5 p.m. at the River Run Lodge

Today, Dec. 19--Adam Williams Band

Saturday, Dec. 20—The Pisten Bullys

Monday, Dec. 22—Kevin Ware

Tuesday, Dec. 23—Hurdy Gurdy Girls

Wednesday, Dec. 24—Patrick Adams

Thursday, Dec. 25—Alexa Sluder

Friday, Dec. 26—Adam Williams Band

Saturday, Dec. 27—High Mountain Heard

Sunday, Dec. 28—Tylor & The Train Robbers

Monday, Dec. 29—Kim Stocking Band

Tuesday, Dec. 30—Side Hustle

WINTER SOLSTICE APRES SKI PARTY

Sunday, Dec. 21 at River Run Lodge: 1 to 4 p.m.—Ciftonite Acoustics live music; 4-7 p.m. DJ Alex Hegewalk

SKATING UNDER THE STARS

Saturday, Dec. 10, 5-7 p.m.—Bundle up and ski to holiday tunes with Santa and his merry friends, warmed by complimentary hot cocoa and cookies. Tickets are $40 and include skate rental, available at www.sunvalley.com/events/santa-skate-night/.

“AFTER THE SNOWFALL” SKI MOVIE BY MATCHSTICK PRODUCTIONS

2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 23 and Friday, Dec. 26, at the sun Valley Opera House. $5 admission at the door.