The most valuable bauble in Sylvia’s collection is a special edition one made for the Queen’s Golden Anniversary. I think it’s a children’s time. I think Christmas is a wonderful time to excite the children, so I do believe you should do the best you can for them." Sylvia, also known as Nana Baubles, lives in Swansea, Wales and owns a staggering 1,760 of the hanging decorations.

I think it’s a children’s time. I think Christmas is a wonderful time to excite the children, so I do believe you should do the best you can for them." – Nana Baubles The oldest baubles she owns are pink and blue ones from the 2000s, which is when she first started collecting them. Sylvia’s love for Christmas stemmed from her childhood. “Christmas was always a family affair,” she told us. Some are unique collectables pieces, and some – like the little red bauble gifted to Nana by her great-grandson – hold a very special sentimental value. Joel also says that while his friends and family are proud of his latest record title achievement, they think it’s a little bizarre.Her fascinating collection spreads throughout her house, with beautiful baubles hanging from the ceilings as well as on display outside her house.

After that, she started buying baubles in boxes. Soon after, people started gifting her different items.

Still, Joel says baubles (and clothespins) are some of his least favourite objects to place in his beard. My technique has evolved and gotten a lot more specialised over the years that I’ve been breaking the record,” said Joel. Joel first broke the record in 2019 using 302 baubles, then in 2020 with 542 baubles, and a third time in 2021 with 686 baubles. It's exciting to admire the variety in Nana Baubles' decorations, which cover the ceiling and many surfaces in her home.

Also known as “beardaments,” the festive, clip-on facial hair accessories are colourful jingling balls for brightening up bristly faces. The most valuable item in Nana Baubles' collection was gifted to her by her granddaughter, a beautiful Royal Tea bauble. I have a large shoebox full of baubles and I think they’ll stay there until I decide to attempt the record again,” he said. I found that if I take my time and really focus on the individual strands of beard hair and small groups of hair, I can manage to fit so many more in there.”

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We weren’t very well off, we didn’t have a lot, and that is why today I will do what I can and afford what I can afford to have a good Christmas for the children." Some are unique collectable pieces, and some – like the little red bauble gifted to her by her great-grandson – hold a special sentimental value. Ever since then I’ve re-broken my own record every Christmas as I’ve improved my beard bauble technique.” Each year, surrounded by the spectacle of her festive baubles, Sylvia always tried her best to make Christmas a special event for her family.