For many people, December 8th means finally being able to put up their Christmas tree without having to worry that it’s still a bit too early for that kind of thing.
And if you’re the kind of person who’s more about lights than tinsel, you might take inspiration from the residents of Canberra, Australia who recently broke the world record for the most lights on an artificial Christmas tree.
Hundreds gathered in the Australian capital on November 26th to watch the 518,838 LED lights strung up on the tree, blowing the five-year record held by Universal Studios Japan — 374,280 lights on a 36-metre tree — out of the water.
The record was achieved by Canberra dad David Richards for an event called Christmas Lights in the City, a fundraiser for SIDS and Kids ACT.
This isn’t the first glowing record Richards has achieved either, claiming another Guinness World Record after he decorated his home with more than 500,000 Christmas lights in 2013.
“This has been an enormous undertaking involving architects, electrical and civil engineers, designers, and an army of SIDS and Kids ACT volunteers all donating their time and goods and services,” Richards said in a statement.
In other words, if you’re thinking of going for a similar feat, you may want to start asking for help!
Here’s a glimpse of what the record breaking tree looks like when it’s illuminated:
