December 10th 2024.
Geoff Stonebanks has been bringing the magic of Christmas to his home for as long as he can remember. To him, Christmas is not just about the traditional symbols like Santa and reindeer, but also about unique and unexpected items like Pacman in a Santa hat or a mouse in a spacesuit. These are just a few of the countless treasures that make up Geoff's extensive collection of Christmas decorations. Over the past six decades, he has collected items from all over the world, amassing a staggering 2,500 baubles and 32 artificial trees.
Speaking to Metro from his cozy home in Seaford, near Brighton, Geoff shares the story behind his impressive collection. As his rescue dog Chester listens intently, he points out some of his favorite decorations on his Christmas tree, including a Cadillac with a flamingo, a bottle of champagne on ice, and a miniature greenhouse. Each one holds a special memory and sentimental value for Geoff. He confesses that he gets quite upset if anything breaks, but with such a large collection, it's inevitable that something will.
Geoff's passion for Christmas is evident in every corner of his home. Typically, he starts decorating in the last week of November and keeps the festive spirit alive until early January. When Metro visits on a breezy December morning, tinsel and decorations can be seen throughout his bungalow, and colorful poinsettias proudly adorn his tabletops. This year, he has put up three large Christmas trees, one in the living room, one in the dining room, and one in the garden.
Many of Geoff's decorations have been gifted to him by friends who are aware of his collection. In total, he estimates that he has around 10,000 festive items in his humble bungalow. His partner Mark, an artist, shares the attic with him, where they store 40 crates filled with decorations. Although Mark may not share Geoff's love for all things Christmas, he has learned to live with it.
Geoff admits that he is a perfectionist when it comes to decorating his trees. It can take up to nine hours to put up his main tree, which boasts around 1,500 fairy lights. He carefully arranges them in a spiral and zig-zag pattern to create a dazzling effect. Then comes the tinsel, the beads, and finally, the 300 or 400 decorations that he meticulously places around the tree. He takes his time to stand back and ensure that everything is in the perfect spot.
With so many lights and decorations, it's impossible for Geoff to calculate how much it costs to run them all during the Christmas season. He estimates that his collection is worth around £10,000. Some of his oldest and most treasured items include a Woolworths angel from the 1960s, a vintage Christmas tablecloth that belonged to his grandmother, and a small pottery snowman that he made in school in the late 1950s. More recent additions include official White House decorations, painted oyster shells from Kent, and a St Albans Cathedral bauble.
Some people may think that Geoff's love for Christmas is a bit over the top, but he doesn't let it bother him. He has faced comments online, with some calling him "Billy no mates" or "weird" for talking about his decorations. But for Geoff, these decorations bring him joy, and he loves to share that joy with others. They also remind him of his childhood at his parents' pub, the Dolphin in Oxfordshire, where he used to help his mom decorate for Christmas.
Geoff's favorite decoration is a small Pierrot figure that his grandmother made for him in 1963. It's made from a ping pong ball, felt, and pipe cleaners, and it holds a special place in his heart. Over the years, as he left home and started buying his own decorations, Geoff inherited some from his parents when they retired in 1987. Some of them needed a good wash to get rid of the smell of cigarette smoke.
This year has been a difficult one for Geoff. He is awaiting a knee operation that has limited his ability to tend to his award-winning garden, "Driftwood By Sea." He has also had to move his 97-year-old mother, Barbara, into a nursing home. But he has made sure to bring some of his oldest decorations to decorate her room and make her feel at home. Geoff also takes his decorations with him on holiday, like the time he spent Christmas near Inverness, Scotland, where he brought a box of baubles and small trees with him.
One day, Geoff knows that he will have to decide what to do with his vast collection of Christmas decorations. He has tried approaching museums, but unfortunately, they have not shown much interest. But for now, he continues to share his love for Christmas with others, and his collection has earned him the title of "the most festive man in Britain." He has been featured on various TV shows and even in newspapers from other countries.
As Geoff says, it's quite an amazing backstory for his 60-year addiction to Christmas decorations. To find out more about Geoff's collection, you can visit his website. Do you have a unique story to share? Get in touch with us by emailing Kirsten and share your views in the comments below.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
