Thai children don red and green for human Christmas tree record

Thai schoolchildren hooked red, green and black hoods over their heads this week, each transforming into a Christmas bulb or a branch on a conifer tree to break a world record for the largest human Christmas tree.

The Associated Press reported the children aged six to 16, most of whom of were Buddhist and didn't celebrate Christmas, were recruited as part of an advertising stunt at a Bangkok shopping mall in advance of a busy tourist shopping season.

Organizers shepherded a total of 852 kids into the shape of a giant green Christmas tree with patches of red decoration and a black base. According to the AP, a representative from Guinness World Records was on scene to certify the crowd has beat the 2011 record for largest Christmas tree, set by 672 people in Germany.

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A few teens told the AP they were disappointed they weren't able to build a vertical pyramid Christmas tree by climbing on top of each other; instead standing safely on the ground to form the shape.

The six-year-olds were probably grateful no 13-year-olds were standing on their shoulders.

Guinness World Records lists a number of holiday-themed world records, including the most people lighting menorahs at once, the fastest time decorating a Christmas tree and the teensy-tiniest Christmas card, small enough for 8,276 of them to fit on one postage stamp.