CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SET WORLD RECORD RECLAIMED IN AUSTRALIA.
An Australian family has reclaimed their Guinness World
Record by stringing up more than half a million Christmas lights around their
suburban home.
Guinness World Records official Chris Sheedy confirmed on
Monday that the Richards family of Canberra set the record for Christmas lights
on a residential property with 502,165 twinkling bulbs.
The family first entered the famous record book in 2001
with 331,038 multi colored lights. But they were trumped last year by a family
in LaGrangeville, New York, who illuminated their home with 346,283 lights.
The Richards home with its lights on more than 50 kilometers
(31 miles) of wire in suburban Forrest will be open to the public from the
weekend to raise money for charity.
David Richards — husband of Janean and father of Aidan,
13, Caitlin, 10, and Madelyn, 6 — said most of his neighbours supported the
display. But some hadn’t spoken to him since the last record was set.
The Richards home will be open to the public from next
week to raise money for charity. A local power company will donate the
estimated 2,500 Australian dollars (US$2,300) in electricity that will
illuminate the home for the next month.