Amazing Christmas records

Sometimes trees grow almost to the sky. One example is the 67-meter Douglas fir that was erected in Seattle (USA) at Christmas and towered over many a skyscraper. Even higher was only the 80-meter-high giant eucalyptus, which was decorated for Christmas in Styx Forest and is considered the largest Christmas tree of all time. That makes the world's smallest Christmas tree a completely different story. It still stands in the Lamers Gallery in Dortmund, Germany, is made of real gold and measures only about 15 mm. «It's smaller than a euro cent coin,» assures an employee.

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the largest Advent wreath in the world was made in Mosnang (CH), measuring almost 122 meters. For weeks, the population of this Toggenburg community worked on it. Sometimes, however, records also cost a lot of money. This is the case, for example, with the most expensive Christmas wreath. It was made by the Finnish floral designer Pasi Jokinen-Carter in London from Christmas roses, noble fir, Billberry branches and Eucalyptus, into which he worked 16 rubies and 32 diamonds worth an amazing 2.8 million English pounds.

Probably the most famous Christmas tree in the world is the one in front of Rockefeller Center in New York. But there is also the most expensive Christmas tree. In 2010, the tree set up in the hall of the luxurious Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, with its 13-meter height and a value of 11 million US dollars, took this title. In 2019, however, the Kempinski Bahía Estepona hotel near Marbella showed that it can be even more valuable. The extravagant Christmas tree was adorned with pendants and baubles worth no less than 14 million euros.

The most expensive Christmas bauble in the world was sold by British jeweler Hallmark from Titchfield for about 82,000 British pounds. For it, he created an 18-karat white gold jewel with 1578 diamonds. The beautiful sphere is encircled by two rings, decorated with 188 rubies. It took almost a year to make it. «Just as the Fabergé name has become synonymous with Easter eggs, I hope Hallmark Jewellers' name will forever be associated with Christmas», said the Christmas bauble's creator and Hallmark partner Mark Hussey.

In 2001, what is believed to be the first Christmas greeting card was sold at auction for 22,500 pounds. Commissioned by civil servant Henry Cole and designed by John Calcott Horsley, the card features a hand-colored image of a family toasting the health of an absent friend with wine in the center. The idea of the card was well received but was not immediately reprinted due to criticism from the temperance movement. Later cards were printed, but the Horsley-Cole card is the earliest and therefore so precious.

Most unusual is the story behind the oldest letter to Santa Claus. It was written by a Dublin brother and sister in 1906 and discovered over 100 years later by an Irishman on a shelf behind the fireplace. Although the letter was slightly singed, the contents were still legible. The message was clear. «We wish for a doll and a waterproof jacket with hood and a pair of gloves and a toffee apple and a golden penny and a silver sixpence», it read. In addition, the two wished Santa good luck.