英國68歲老太收集1700件聖誕飾品
來自英國南威爾士斯溫西市的一位68歲退休老太花費數週時間，用她從世界各地收集的1700個掛件飾品和聖誕綵球裝點房間，準備迎接盛大節日——聖誕節的到來。這些各式各樣的小玩意是她從紐約、埃及、塞浦路斯等地購買來的，其中一些單價高達14英鎊。這位老太從九月底就開始了裝飾工作，直到聖誕節才能完成。她表示這樣的裝飾會讓房間美觀愜意，並打算全年都保留這些綵球在天花板上。
It takes great grandmother Sylvia Pope longer than most to decorate her home for Christmas.
The pensioner, 68, has a huge collection of 1,700 baubles to decorate her home - and has already spent weeks preparing for the big day.
She has bought the decorations - some of which cost more than £14 each - from places as far away as Egypt and New York.
Mrs Pope, from Swansea, South, Wales, starts the long task of getting all her decorations up at the end of September - and won't finish until Christmas Day.
Typically she spends more than £100 every year buying new decorations for her home.
The pensioner, who turns 69 on Boxing Day, said that as she edged closer to 70 she was considering leaving the balls up on the ceiling all year around.
She said: 'I've got some little fairy lights in the corners of the room, on the hearth and out in the conservatory - but the balls on the ceiling are the main feature.
'It's just nice and cosy for Christmas, there are 1,700 baubles on the ceiling and I spend £100 a year putting new ones up.
'I've been up to the Christmas markets in Manchester to buy them and the Disney shop in Swansea - so I've got all of the Seven Dwarfs up there.
'I've got a cup cake with Father Christmas on top, along with the wolf from Red Riding Hood, candy sticks and champagne.
'I've got balls from all over the world including New York, Cyprus and Egypt. I've paid £12 to £14 for some of the baubles and have bought some from Harrods.'
But it was on a shopping trip to department store Macy's in New York that she was overwhelmed by the festive selection of Christmas baubles.
Sylvia said: 'It was like I was in heaven. I bought at least 20 to 30 baubles and I had to buy another bag to bring them home in.
'Each year when I buy nice new baubles I get rid of the old ones - especially if there are three of the same.'
Before Christmas Sylvia, who works on a part-time basis at Castle Bingo, is planning to visit her 42-year-old son Stephen and his family out in Cyprus, and also to stock up on some more decorations at the festive fair.
Her granddaughter Claire Watkins will be among relatives visiting her this Christmas with her fiance who is Wales and Ospreys rugby star Huw Bennett.
Claire said: 'Huw thinks it's great. He is always over her house - at Christmas he plays I spy the bauble.'
