10 Jumbo-Sized Christmas Celebrations That Broke World Records
Thought your family went all out for the holidays? Think again.
We all know one family who attempts to make their Christmas celebration bigger and better than everyone else on the block. But whether your family likes to go all out when it comes time to deck the halls, or prefers to opt for a more quaint holiday, prepare to be blown away by these larger-than-life Christmas decorations. From snowmen to caroling, these Christmas-themed world records take holiday traditions to the next level.
World's Tallest Snowman
Where: Bethel, Maine
When: February 2008
Originally standing at 122-foot-tall Olympia the "SnowWoman" melted on July 30, 2008. Look closely, and you'll see that this impressively huge sculpture had skis for eyelashes, truck tires for bottoms, and evergreen trees for arms.
Learn more at bethelmaine.com.
World's Largest Human Christmas Tree
Where: Tegucigalpa, Honduras
When: December 2014
2,945 volunteers gathered at the Democracy Plaza of the Presidential House in Honduras' capital to form this living Christmas tree. To dress the part, those who made up the tree wore red or green, while the star was formed by participants in yellow. The tree had to remain motionless for six minutes to break the record—which the government hoped would bring a moment of peace (followed by Christmas celebrations, of course).
Learn more at guinnessworldrecords.com.
World's Largest Group of Carol Singers
Where: Akwa Ibom, Nigeria
When: December 13, 2014
Who doesn't love a good Christmas tune? 25,275 participants gathered in Uyo Township Stadium to sing a medley of songs such as Joy To The World, O Christmas Tree, and The First Noel.
Learn more at guinnessworldrecords.com.
Most Letters to Santa Collected in a Christmas Season
Where: Ottawa, Canada
When: December 1, 2006
Canada Post received 1.06 million letters and 44,166 emails during this extremely busy holiday season. But what's perhaps even more impressive, is that volunteers responded to every single letter, which were written in 11 languages.
Of course, this isn't to be confused with the longest wish to Santa, a record held by the 2014 Believe campaign hosted by Macy's.
Learn more at guinnessworldrecords.com.
World's Largest Display of Knitted & Crocheted Christmas Decorations
Where: London, UK
When: September 2014
One group of crafty ladies broke not one but two separate Christmas records with their love for knitting. The largest display of crocheted decorations included 4,416 handmade pieces while the largest knitted display included 8,845 decorations.
Learn more at womansweekly.com.
World's Largest Gingerbread Village
Where: New York
When: November 17, 2015
Baker Jon Lovitch constructed Gingerbread Lane village, breaking his own record for the third consecutive year. The impressive edible display, which consists of 1,102 buildings, covers 500 square feet with structures such as a double-decker carousel and a Pumpkin Spice Latte Coffee Shoppe. See it in person at the New York Hall of Science in Corona, New York through January 9, 2015.
Learn more at nysci.org.
World's Largest Display of Christmas Lights on an Artificial Tree
Where: Canberra, Australia
When: December 4, 2013
David Richards created this impressive display of 518,838 individual lights on a 72-foot Christmas tree. Watching the magnificent tree light up with twinkling lights is unlike anything you've ever seen before.
World's Largest Game of Secret Santa (in a Single Location)
Where: Lexington, Kentucky
When: December 4, 2013
1,463 participants from Lexington Catholic High School and middle schools in the area came together to break this gift-giving record.
Learn more at kyforward.com.
Most Lights on a Residential Property
Where: LaGrangeville, United States
When: November 28, 2014
Thought your family went all out for the holiday season? The Gay family's home was decorated with 601,736 lights, earning them the title of most lights on a residential property for the second year, after Australia's David Richards temporarily snagged the record from them in 2012.
Learn more at guinnessworldrecords.com.
World's Largest Gingerbread House
Where: Bryan, Texas
When: November 30, 2014
Created by the Texas A&M Traditions Club, this gingerbread house made the holiday season extra sweet. In addition to being 60 feet long, 42 feet wide, and 10.1 feet tall, this tasty structure raised money for charity. Visitors could step inside to meet Santa, while ticket sales were donated to the St. Joseph's Children's Hospital.
Learn more at guinnessworldrecords.com.
Rebecca was the social media editor at CountryLiving.com and WomansDay.com.
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