Two Britons – including a grandmother who starts decorating her house in September – have broken world records for having the most Christmas decorations.
Sylvia Pope – known as Nana Baubles – has 1,760 festive ornaments, a total recognised by the Guinness World Records.
Turning 79 on Boxing Day, she is hoping to reach 2,000 by the new year.
Adam Wide, meanwhile, from Hastings, has taken the title for the largest collection of Christmas brooches.
The 68-year-old, currently living in Berlin, has been building his 7,929-strong collection since 1984.
He admits his haul – worth £350,000 – is an “obsession”.
Mrs Pope’s collection includes items from Harrods in London and Macy’s in New York – and from local shops in Swansea.
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Some of her favourites include a lobster, a hamburger, Big Ben, Disney characters and a Royal Doulton Royal Jubilee celebration edition, representing her admiration for the Queen, who she describes as “wonderful”.
Mrs Pope gets a great deal of “enjoyment” from her hobby and is excited by “all the different types you can buy”.
Mr Wide said his pastime began when he saw a “beautiful brooch” in a Christmas market.
Brooches have been a fashion staple since the Victorian era and Mr Wide’s collection has items from every decade since. His most valuable one is made of platinum, diamonds and rubies.
“One of the great things about collecting brooches is that it is accessible to everyone,” Mr Wide said.
“You can start off as I did, buying just a small brooch in Copenhagen and before you know it you have over 8,000.
“As soon as I started collecting, I was obsessed – it is fascinating.”
“We all need a bit of yuletide cheer right now, and records like these really put a smile on your face,” said Craig Glenday, editor in chief at Guinness World Records.
“Adam and Nana Baubles clearly have an infectious passion for Christmas and have created their own record-breaking winter wonderlands at home.
“It’s wonderful to be able to share their joy of the festive season with the rest of the world.”
