Picture it – one second left on the clock, your team prepares to kick the game-winning field goal, you’re sitting on the edge of your seat… only in this scenario the spectators aren’t watching their favorite team make it all the way.

The participants are listening intently to Gayle O’Hanlan, president of Enchanted Gingerbread, explain how to create one of the holiday’s most time-honored traditions – a Gingerbread House.

O’Hanlan’s instruction to those ready to listen, “Let’s make a big sticky mess.” A sigh of relief comes over the amateur artists.

Thanks to O’Hanlan, the hardest part of making a gingerbread masterpiece is already done, whether it’s a gingerbread man or house. The gingerbread is baked and fully assembled. All they have to do is decorate, using icing ready-to-go, prepackaged candies and their imagination.

“The more icing you use the better,” O’Hanlan’s key advice. “Also the more candy you use the better. You can always get rid of the evidence if you have leftovers.”

As the participants laugh, they begin the decorating magic.

Until Dec. 20, O’Hanlan will be on hand every Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville.

She is located in the Winter Wonderland area in the Ryman Exhibit Halls during “A Country Christmas.”

For a small fee anyone can decorate a gingerbread house, mini gingerbread house ornament or a gingerbread man. Decorating takes about 45 minutes and several of O’Hanlan’s helpers are on hand to offer tips and answer any questions.

O’Hanlan is going on her fourth year at Opryland’s Country Christmas and to think her success all started with foodstamps.

She started her business Dec. 1, 1990, with her daughter’s third birthday party. Struggling to feed her family she still wanted to give her daughter a fun birthday and she figured the only fun project she could get using foodstamps involved food products.

Pulling from her own talents and favorite things she decided to have them decorate gingerbread houses. Her company shot off from there.

On average O’Hanlan makes 1,500 pieces a year, her most elaborate was on display at Opryland a year ago.

“Last year we created a replica of the General Jackson Showboat. We are up for any challenge,” O’Hanlan said. “The more creative, the better.”

It took O’Hanlan and four elves 55 hours to create the showboat. Over 100 cups of flour, 45 pounds of sugar and it weighed as much as 60 pounds. There were over 300 decorated gingerbread people wandering throughout the ship. There were three stories and a stage performance going on inside. It was lighted throughout and looked as much like the real General Jackson from the inside as it does on the out.

This year she received orders from Honda to create gingerbread cars and Paramount to create gingerbread theaters.

The gingerbread pieces last for three years because there are no animal by products used in the materials; no eggs, no milk, no butter.

“It’s a win-win situation,” O’Hanlan said. “I get to give and share at the same time.”