An Australian family who put more than half a million Christmas lights on their house has claimed a world record - for the second time. Father-of-three David Richards from Canberra first won the title in 2011 with 331,038 lights, but was beaten by a family in New York who put up 346,283.
His family vowed to take regain the title this Christmas - so installed more than 31 miles of wire with 502,165 lights, glowing reindeer and loud music around their suburban home, to the frustration of some neighbors. Guinness World Records confirmed the family's charity feat has officially the most Christmas lights on a residential property.
Some of the Richards’ neighbors are very upset and haven’t spoken to the family since 2011. But most of them love the dazzle and come to visit from numerous miles away. David says, “I have always loved Christmas. Having the Christmas lights with the community coming in and sharing it is a time when you get to know people you perhaps should know better, I guess.”
Of course, putting up so many lights would mean a enormous electric bill. It comes up to about $2,200 a month, an amount that the local power company has been generous enough to donate. The Richards hosts a charity event open to the public, and the proceeds go to children’s charities that fight Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. In 2011 they had 70,000 visitors and collected about $70,000. This year David wants to up the amount to $90,000. “It actually helps a lot of families who have put up with an amazing amount of grief. That makes it all worthwhile to me,”
David lives in the suburb of Forrest with his wife Janean, 13-year-old son Aidan and daughters Caitlin, 10, and Madelyn, 6. It took them a month to put up all the lights – they started in October and worked every weekend since. Thankfully they didn’t have to physically count all the lights. Delivery records and invoices helped with that. The lights aren’t just meant for Christmas, they’re also meant to party his wife’s cousin’s wedding this Saturday.
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