Reply from Guinness World Records
I have received an email from Guinness World Records. I questioned at the beginning of December if our interpretation of an advent calendar would count. If the concept would be seen as an extension of the current world record. Unfortunately the answer is it’s not. It needs to be a physical advent calendar in a single location, which means we can’t reapply for the same world record this year.
I have thought about getting all the banners out on the first of December. Instead of the world’s largest advent calendar, we attempt the world’s longest relay race. We get a physical baton made and give it to one of the locations that are taking part this year. On the first day it’s collected by a volunteer who will take it to the next location. A photo is taken in front of the banner, passing the baton. The next day someone else collects it and travels with it to the location on day 3, and so on. By New Year’s Eve the baton will have been to each of the 31 locations and complete a month long relay race.
This was a back up plan I had just in case we couldn’t apply for the same world record this year. We would love to give the global autistic community a world record, and we won’t give up on trying to figure out a way to do that.
“The Advent calendar should be an exact, to scale, replica of a commercially available Advent calendar. Details and dimensions of the commercially available Advent calendar to be replicated must be provided.
As this was not a physical advent calendar the attempt has been disqualified.
Whilst we fully appreciate that this is not the decision you were hoping for, we trust that you will understand our position. However, if you have any further record proposals please do make another application, we would be delighted to hear from you again.
Kind regards,
Records Management Team
Guinness World Records"
I’m not actually disappointed because the response in December was truly wonderful and I thought this may be the outcome. However, we still have plenty of time to figure out a plan and work towards a different world record for this December.
All our best and love
Ross Fraser and Jeni Curtis
Mylifeautistic
Words – Ross Fraser
Graphic Design App – Canva
#mentalhealthadvocate #together #community #actuallyautistic #autismacceptance