After Hours
RLPS Egg Drop 2022
RLPS Egg Drop – Superhero Edition
Our start to summer begins each year with the RLPS Egg Drop or catapult as was the case this year. Employees were able to design their own contraption to protect their egg on its journey to, and hopefully through, the target. Aside from incorporating a superhero theme to their entry, participants were only limited by their imagination. Rebecca S. took top place in the competition with her Miraculous Ladybug themed entry.
Staff members also filled a pickup truck with bottled water donations for Water Street Mission. Thanks to all!
2021/2022 Gingerbread Display UN-vitation
Here we go again…no open houses this year!
We share this NON-vite to wish all goodwill and cheer—whether celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus or just the start of a new year. What we will NOT be sharing this year is a gingerbread display.
For the health and safety of our team, our clients and the senior residents, students and others they serve, we have made the decision to forgo our annual gingerbread display again this year.
We’ll be taking this extended break to reimagine future possibilities and potential new directions for this 30-year holiday tradition.
Have you Seen the Video Highlighting Past Gingerbread Displays?
In 2020, we created a video compilation of gingerbread architecture dating back to our very first RLPS Gingerbread Display in 1988!
Watch the Full-Length Video (14 Minutes)
Watch the Highlights Version (3 Minutes)
Which Gingerbread Display Was Your Favorite?
In the spirit of continuing a bit of friendly holiday competition—we set up a poll so people could share which year’s theme was their favorite. When we tallied the votes, 2018’s Merry Grinch-mas & Happy Who Year was the top pick!
Spread cheer. Stay Well.
RLPS Egg Drop 2021
It’s Back! After a brief hiatus (thanks to the COVID-19 Pandemic) we were able to gather again for the 2021 Egg Drop.
According to tradition, on the Friday before Memorial Day, we celebrate the unofficial start of summer with an Egg Drop. Employees are given a kit of supplies which are used to build a contraption to protect a raw egg when it’s dropped. This year we decided to mix the egg drop with Pinewood Derby-style cars. Each person created a vehicle with a Pinewood Derby base that could be launched, yes launched, from a ramp. The vehicle that traveled the farthest without breaking its egg would win. Congratulations to Rebecca with her “Brake Fast” vehicle for winning the launch and to Mike S. who’s airplane won for aesthetics.
Staff members also filled a pickup truck with non-perishable food and bottled water donations for Water Street Mission. Thanks!
2020 Virtual Gingerbread Display
A Retrospective of Creative Confections
Like so many other things in 2020, we anticipate a very different holiday season this year. Since social distancing is advised and our staff continues to work remotely, we have created a video compilation of gingerbread architecture dating back to our very first RLPS Gingerbread Display in 1988!
Gather your family or a few friends, grab a mug of hot chocolate, and enjoy this virtual retrospective and behind-the-scenes peek into our gingerbread displays through the years. From London to the North Pole, Whoville to Mt. Gretna and even our very own downtown Lancaster, the diverse themes remind us during these unique and often challenging times that holiday cheer comes in all shapes and sizes.
Watch the Full-Length Video (14 Minutes)
Watch the Highlights Version (3 Minutes)
Which Display Was Your Favorite?
In the spirit of continuing a bit of friendly holiday competition—and perhaps to help us prepare for future displays–we asked you to tell us which year’s theme was your favorite. Thank you for all your responses. 2018’s Merry Grinch-mas & Happy Who Year was the favorite!
Help us Spread Holiday Cheer
#RLPSGingebread2020
Whether you’re celebrating Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Solstice, New Year’s or Festivus please help us spread the cheer. We encourage families or small groups to share pictures of your own gingerbread creations with the hashtag #RLPSGingerbread2020.
All of us at RLPS wish you a happy and healthy holiday season. We hope to see you again—in person—in 2021!
2019 Gingerbread Display
2019 Public Open House Nights – December 12, 19 and 26, 5 – 7 PM
Mark your calendars now, the 2019 RLPS Gingerbread Display will make its debut to the public on Thursday, December 12th from 5 PM – 7 PM for the first of three public open houses. You are also welcome to view the display on the following two Thursday evenings: December 19th and 26th from 5 PM – 7 PM.
No admission will be charged, but you are welcome to donate non-perishable food items for the Water Street Mission during each open house. The food drive is optional for those who wish to participate. Thank you to past attendees who suggested the idea.
There may be long lines each night, so please plan accordingly. Only service animals are permitted. Doors open at 5 p.m.
2018 Gingerbread Display: Merry Grinch-mas and Happy Who-Year
The creative confection for 2018 brought to ‘life’ the zany world of Dr. Seuss and his popular “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” story in particular. The display featured candy construction, in 3/8” scale, modeled after Whoville and numerous Dr. Seuss books and movies. Clients and business associates voted on their favorites which are featured in the above photos.
This was the 29th year that RLPS employees, family members and friends have used frosting, gingerbread, pastas, beans, candies, cereals, pretzels, gum, fondant and other edible materials to create a holiday display. Supplies start arriving in late November and construction occurs at the close of business each day and over the course of many weekend hours.
A special thank you to all those who visited and donated over a dozen overflowing boxes of non-perishable food donations for Water Street Mission.
Egg Drop 2018
Each year on the Friday before Memorial Day we celebrate the start of summer with the annual RLPS Egg Drop. Employees are given a kit of supplies which are used to build a contraption to protect a raw egg when it’s dropped. This year our Virtual Reality team was in charge of the drop so participants donned our Microsoft HoloLens headset and had to release their egg-protecting creation from a zip line by remote control when they thought it would hit a virtual target. Screens in the room allowed spectators to see what each person saw in the headset. Congratulations to Rebecca with her Bye-Plane and Todd with Hank who tied for first place and to Andy, who’s Dragone Dragon came in second.
2017 Gingerbread Display: Gretna Greetings
The creative confection for 2017 highlighted the 125th anniversary of the town of Mt. Gretna, located in Lebanon County Pennsylvania. The display featured candy construction, in 3/8” scale, modeled after actual homes in the town today. Iconic buildings include the Jigger Shop, Emporium, Hall of Philosophy and Playhouse can also be found. Clients and business associates voted on their favorites which are featured in the above photos.
This was the 28th year that RLPS employees, family members and friends have used frosting, gingerbread, pastas, beans, candies, cereals, pretzels, gum, fondant and other edible materials to create a holiday display. Supplies start arriving in late November and construction occurs at the close of business each day and over the course of many week-end hours.
A special thank you to all those who visited and donated 12 overflowing boxes of non-perishable food donations for Water Street Mission.
RLPS Egg Drop 2017
At RLPS we start each summer with an egg drop. (It’s a competition where employees make contraptions intended to keep a raw egg from breaking when “dropped”.) Each year ends up with a unique twist – this year’s drop was shark themed thanks to the planning and direction of our shark-loving RLPS Interiors design team! Congratulations this year’s winner, Sam, and to tied second-place winners Rebecca and Tim.
RLPS Egg Drop 2016
What a great way to celebrate the unofficial start to summer here at RLPS! Our 2016 egg drop was inspired by the movie Up. The objective was, as always, to build a contraption that will protect a raw egg from breaking upon impact. Built out of a specific set of materials including a box of tissues, stickers, and decorative tape, houses were lifted via helium filled balloons and dropped after a sparkler connecting the egg contraption to the balloons burnt through. Congratulations to our co-winners Stacie Doman and Sarah O’Donnell.