A Christmas fanatic turned her office cube into an incredible life-size gingerbread house to amuse her colleagues.

47-year-old Monika Orrey had only worked at her new job for two months when they announced a workspace decorating competition.

The financial services manager threw herself into the contest, spending eight hours turning her cube into a festive gingerbread wonderland.

She constructed the sides and roof of the house by herself with duct tape and cardboard that she covered in brown craft paper.

The mum-of-one visited the office on a Sunday to construct her masterpiece as a surprise for her colleagues the following Monday.

Monika from Oakley, California, said, "I consider myself very festive, or as my daughter would say, I am ‘extra'!

"I do indeed have far too many decorations at home according to my family but I know they love it.

"When the cubicle decorating contest was announced, I started stockpiling cardboard right away.

"I was at first concerned my new colleagues might think I was odd but soon remember that I am happiest when I am authentically me so I pushed right past any concerns and got to planning.

"I wanted to do something big and incorporate my well-known sweet tooth, and what better than a giant gingerbread house?

"With the cardboard I had collected and the decorations I had on hand, the biggest cost was tape.

"I was able to collect bowls from the dollar store, paint pinwheels on them, attach the bowl to a white cardboard tube and cover in cellophane for extra large ‘lollipops'.

"I bought some candy stickers and found more candy images online that I printed out for more decorations."

And when her colleagues rocked up on Monday morning, Monika says they were "speechless".

"It definitely broke the ice!" she said.

"I am a bit competitive and I love Christmas so it was really right up my alley.

Despite stiff competition from the rest of the staff, Monika's cube won the decorating competition.

She said, "Many colleagues brought their kids in to see my gingerbread house and it brought smiles to many—mission accomplished!

(WATCH the video to see the Christmas house… )

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