On Saturday, a remarkable event took place in Washington, D.C., as 1,435 couples gathered to set a new world record for the most couples kissing under mistletoe. The exciting feat occurred during the “National Kiss Under the National Mistletoe” event at Anthem Row.
World Record Achievement
This new record breaks the previous one of 480 couples, held for six years by St. Louis. Michael Empric, a judge from Guinness World Records, confirmed the successful attempt in front of nearly 3,000 attendees, announcing, “They blew it out of the water. It’s a new Guinness World Record title.”
The Requirements
- Couples had to kiss for five seconds under real mistletoe.
- Each participant needed to be part of a couple; solo entries were not eligible.
- The event required meticulous planning and participant coordination.
Ebony Walton, the marketing communications director for Downtown DC BID, reflected on the journey to achieving the record. Initially uncertain about attracting enough participants, she noted, “We went from, ‘can we get 500 couples here’ to ‘we had more than 6,000 couples registered.’”
Mistletoe Preparation
To accommodate the large turnout, the organizers ordered an impressive 17,150 mistletoes from a farm in Oregon. The enthusiasm among couples was palpable.
Couples Share Their Experience
Among those who participated were Mindy McManus and Kevin Weeden. McManus described the crowd as crowded yet welcoming, emphasizing, “It’s a great excuse to cuddle up close, so I liked it.”
Another couple, Everett and Resi Dick, expressed their excitement about the event. “When I found out about it, I was like, ‘oh wow, that would be nice sweetheart,’” said Everett, adding humorously that he had “special records that no one knows about,” but this one would join his personal collection.
The success of the event showcases not only the community spirit of Washington, D.C., but also the joy and connection that comes from shared experiences during the festive season.
