World's largest gingerbread house built in Texas

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Guinness World Records confirmed a gingerbread house constructed at Texas A&M University is the largest in the world.

Philip Robertson, a Guinness adjudicator, said the 39,201.8 square-foot house bested the previous record holder, a 36,000-square-foot gingerbread house built at the Mall of America in Minnesota, the Eagle, Bryan-College Station, Texas, reported Monday.

The house was built by the A&M Traditions Club, which ensured the 22-foot-tall structure was made from completely edible materials.

"We're very excited and it is emotional, I honestly didn't know if I wanted to cry or laugh," club general manager Bill Horton said when the record was confirmed. "I'm very excited for the team too, to be able to pull together and do that."

The club said the house contains 1,800 pounds of butter, 7,200 eggs, 7,200 pounds of flour, nearly 3,000 pounds of brown sugar and about 2,500 pounds of candy treats used to decorate the exterior.

The club said the house will be on display to the public until Dec. 14. Admission fees, $3 for adults and $2 for children, are being donated to the St. Joseph hospital trauma center.