Santa won’t have any trouble finding the home of the Richards family this Christmas. The property in the Canberra suburb of Forrest in Australia is illuminated with 331,038 fairy lights making it the Guinness World Records® titleholder for the Most Christmas Lights on a Residential Property.
THE RICHARDS’ FAMILY HOME IS DECORATED WITH OVER 300,000 CHRISTMAS LIGHTS!
David Richards, a barrister and father of three, has worked on the decorations for over 4 years, with the number of lights having doubled from last year. David said: “It started four years ago with one string above the door and has really grown from there".
David is reluctant to say how much the decorations cost, but all the money he receives from visitors goes to the charity ‘SIDS and Kids’ which he says helped his family out during a difficult period in 2002.
Despite the four year investment in the light display David said that he won't be doing it again next year, saying he hoped to be able to donate the lights to someone else who would continue to use them to raise money for charity.
THE RICHARDS FAMILY
The perfect holiday gift for aspiring record breakers and knowledge seekers of all ages, the Guinness World Records 2012 Edition is available now at the suggested retail price of $28.95 as well as in eBook format for $12.99.
Other Christmas inspired records:
Largest gathering of Santa Claus'
The largest gathering of Santa Claus' was achieved by 13,000 participants in the Guildhall Square in Derry City, Northern Ireland, UK, on 9 December 2007.
Largest Advent Calendar
The largest advent calendar is 71 m (232 ft 11 in) high and 23 m (75 ft 5 in) wide and was built at St Pancras station, London, UK, to commemorate the station's refurbishment in December 2007.
Largest group of carol singers
The largest group of carol singers consisted of 15,111 participants and was achieved by the Hong Myung-bo Foundation (South Korea) during the Hong Myung-bo Charity Soccer Game in Seoul, South Korea, on 25 December 2010.
THE RICHARDS FAMILY HOME
Oldest Christmas tree
Every year, Janet Parker of Chippenham, Wiltshire, UK, puts up her Christmas tree, which was purchased - possibly from Woolworths - for her Great Aunt in 1886. Standing 30 cm (12 in) high in an ornate pot, it gets decorated with cherubs and the Virgin Mary.
Largest Christmas cracker
The world's longest Christmas cracker measured 63.1 m (207 ft) long and 4 m (13 ft) in diameter and was made by the parents of children at Ley Hill School and Pre-School, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, UK on 20 December 2001.
Tallest Christmas Tree
The world's tallest cut Christmas tree was a 67.36 m (221 ft) Douglas fir (Pseudotsga menziesii) erected and decorated at Northgate Shopping Center, Seattle, Washington, USA, in December 1950.
