英68岁老太收集1700件圣诞饰品

　　来自英国南威尔士斯温西市的一位68岁退休老太花费数周时间，用她从世界各地收集的1700个挂件饰品和圣诞彩球装点房间，准备迎接盛大节日——圣诞节的到来。这些各式各样的小玩意是她从纽约、埃及、塞浦路斯等地购买来的，其中一些单价高达14英镑。这位老太从九月底就开始了装饰工作，直到圣诞节才能完成。她表示这样的装饰会让房间美观惬意，并打算全年都保留这些彩球在天花板上。

　　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.'