23 December 2011

The Richards family of Forrest make it into Guinness, and all the world media

| johnboy
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christmas lights and guiness

Earlier in the week we marvelled at the works of David and Janean Richards in upping the ante of lavish Christmas light displays. (Something 70% of poll respondents reckon is awesome)

We did, however, note that the Guinness website was silent on the matter of world records.

Well no longer.

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 Record holder for the Most Christmas Lights on a Residential Property.

David Richards, a barrister and father of three, has worked on the decorations for over four 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 story of their achievement is running through world media today.

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Fliponout said :

O O What a night its 12.33am on Xams Morning … and there is still 100 and 100 of PPl there walking thu we had to line up for 45 min just to get in all the way down the end of the street … BUT hey was so nice mad a Fab Start to Christmas Day and the meaning of Christmas .. there was so many ppl from all walks of life there and from many Cultures was amazing to see …
Thank You So Much …you done Canberra Proud we love it ?
Better than the shit arse Job that Our Government does in the Capital Of Australia Shitty Tree in the City and o so small Xams Banners on some Poles… and you did this of your own bat…
Come on ACT Government Get behind the Festive Season …we know you can please very one but the amount of ppl that have gone to see this show there is Community sprit in Canberra.
Just don’t call it Happy or Merry Christmas Call It Happy Holidays to one and all the it captures everyone.. We are the Capital City we are call CANBERRA…
Big Flags Lights and why Not do them around Major and Semi Major Shopping Centres
MERRY HAPPY CHRISTMAS HOILDAY CANBERRA ALL THE BEST FOR 2012 xx

We need to continue to say Merry or Happy Christmas – this is the season we are celebrating and it does not need to be diluted into happy holidays or festive season. We live in a multi religious society and, just as we celebrate Ramadan, Hanukka, Chinese New Year, etc we should also be able to celebrate Christmas. I find that religions other than Christians are much more tolerant of us saying “happy Christmas’ than christians trying to be politically correct and not acknowledging the Christmas holiday and trying to make it generic.

O O What a night its 12.33am on Xams Morning … and there is still 100 and 100 of PPl there walking thu we had to line up for 45 min just to get in all the way down the end of the street … BUT hey was so nice mad a Fab Start to Christmas Day and the meaning of Christmas .. there was so many ppl from all walks of life there and from many Cultures was amazing to see …
Thank You So Much …you done Canberra Proud we love it ?
Better than the shit arse Job that Our Government does in the Capital Of Australia Shitty Tree in the City and o so small Xams Banners on some Poles… and you did this of your own bat…
Come on ACT Government Get behind the Festive Season …we know you can please very one but the amount of ppl that have gone to see this show there is Community sprit in Canberra.
Just don’t call it Happy or Merry Christmas Call It Happy Holidays to one and all the it captures everyone.. We are the Capital City we are call CANBERRA…
Big Flags Lights and why Not do them around Major and Semi Major Shopping Centres
MERRY HAPPY CHRISTMAS HOILDAY CANBERRA ALL THE BEST FOR 2012 xx

We’re in the UK for Xmas, having a Dickensian time. It was the “drop the dead donkey” spot on both ITV and BBC news reports yesterday evening!

GardeningGirl3:58 pm 23 Dec 11

Reading the Canberra Times article I take my comment back, good on them for doing it just ONCE!

I like the number in the initial banner! “33,1038”.

They’re probably not doing it next year due to complaints from their neighbours! We went on Thursday night and the whole suburb was packed with cars and people!

Good on them though!

GardeningGirl1:02 pm 23 Dec 11

Congratulations!
(But considering the weather this year I really hope they think about doing it again.)

someone had to count all those lights.. :-S

Good on them.

Gosh – I would love to have them all and some help in raising money for any charity. I would have no idea how to synchonise music and light though.

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