1,000 kisses to celebrate Borough Market’s 1,000
• World record attempt takes place under a Christmas display of 1,000 mistletoe bunches for the most simultaneous kisses in a single venue.
Borough Market has invited shoppers to pucker up in a bid to generate enough energy to switch on its Christmas lights – and at the same time set a world record.
To mark its 1,000th under a breathtaking 300 sq ft ceiling of individually tied bunches of mistletoe – one for every person taking part. The historic market partnered with top physics experts at Royal Holloway, University of London to investigate the true ‘power’ of love and to help set up the electrifying record attempt.
Physicist David Farmer from Royal Holloway University said: “We worked out that an average kiss on the cheek burns two calories per minute, which converts into approximately 150 watts– enough to power about three old light bulbs. Christmas LED lights only use about 7 watts so we found that the total amount of energy generated by 1,000 one-second kisses could theoretically power Borough’s Christmas display. Harnessing this energy is hard but you can still use a kiss to turn the lights on! After lots of calculations we’re excited to bring physics to life in a fun way and show that it’s more than just facts in a textbook.”
Individuals acted as a circuit and switched on the lights as they ‘connected’ by sharing their special Christmas kiss. In line with traditional mistletoe kissing etiquette, kisses needed to be on the cheek so mums, dads, kids and friends were all invited to set the record which had, as yet, never been attempted.
Donald Hyslop, Borough Market Chair of Trustees, said: “A market has always been a central meeting place within the community, and a place that people connect, and share food and drink. Connecting people is very much part of Borough and runs through everything we do so it made perfect sense to carry the theme through to our Christmas light switch on!”
Market traders created special Christmas kiss themed produce on the day – from cookies to bunches of mistletoe, plus all willing ‘smoochers’ enjoyed free mince pies.
Christmas in Southwark, Borough Market held 1,000 simultaneous kisses
Visitors were entertained with a medley of Christmas carols sung by the Choir of Royal Holloway, University of London.
For more information about Borough Market, its Traders and events please visit
www.boroughmarket.org.uk