Today's picture: Gingerbread man

When I think of Christmas, I think of Santa, reindeer, candy cane and Christmas tree.
I recently visited Ikea and they were selling gingerbread house with Christmas theme. I never really associated gingerbread man as a christmas icon and I wonder what the meaning of it. When I looked up Christmas recipes, gingerbread man came up in a few of the searches.  
I see the gingerbread man at the cafe next to the cookies, so I've always thought of it as a general everyday snack and never thought much of it.

Interesting how small everyday items can have a deeper meaning.