Nanna Baubles: World record-holder's Christmas decorations passed to family

Sylvia Pope's almost 2,000-strong collection led to her nickname Nanna Baubles

The family of a gran with the world's largest bauble collection say Christmas just isn't the same without her.

Sylvia Pope, who died in April, was known as Nanna Baubles and held the Guinness World Record for her almost 2,000-strong bauble collection.

That collection has now passed to her family who are hanging them to remember their "queen of Christmas".

"Christmas was Nanna... it's a very, very big loss to us this year," said her granddaughter, Kelly Wood.

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Mrs Pope, from Swansea, would have to start adorning her home with Christmas ornaments in September to get them all up in time.

She would have turned 81 on Boxing Day.

"She was the queen of the family… it's very difficult this year because we all miss her terribly in the run up to Christmas," said Ms Wood, 37, from Gowerton, Swansea.

Ms Wood said her grandmother was the "queen of the family"

Mrs Pope's collection included ornaments specially made by her family and from her trips around the world, including from New York's Macy's department store and London's Harrods.

Ms Wood said she took her grandmother shopping twice a week for the past seven years.

"In the run up to November and December it would be three times a week though, because she'd have to get her baubles," she said.

She said Mrs Pope began collecting baubles about 20 years ago after coming across a large Christmas tree in a shop window filled with baubles.

"She didn't have the room in her house to do that, so she just decided to put them everywhere."

Ms Wood said she spent one day every week with Nanna Baubles shopping for decorations in the lead up to Christmas

Displaying her grandmother's decorations, which have been shared throughout the family, makes it feel as if she is still present at Christmas, Ms Wood said.

"Especially the sentimental ones, the ones we've had specially made [for her] - I've got three on my tree that I bought," she added.

"They've got the date and everything on. It's just nice, you remember buying them and seeing her face."

Mrs Wood has hung baubles on her tree that she had made for her grandmother

Ms Wood said Nanna Baubles' celebrity status in her local area means she is greatly missed by people outside the family too.

"Everyone knew Nanna, she was just the most kindest, chattiest, most outgoing person… you'd have never said she was 80.

"She'd help people her own age and say 'oh they're old' and I'd be like 'nan, they're younger than you'.

"We all just miss her terribly, but it's so lovely that she'll be remembered so fondly."