Tree for Boston. (Source: Communications Nova Scotia via Twitter)
Every holiday season the province of Nova Scotia donates a Christmas Tree to the City of Boston as a way of showing thanks for their humanitarian aid and recuse efforts in the aftermath of the Halifax Explosion.
This year’s Christmas Tree for Boston is coming from the appropriately named Christmas Island, and the 45-foot white spruce was donated by the family of award-winning musician Carmen Townsend.
The public is invited to attend the tree cutting ceremony on the Townsends property this morning on 8008 Grand Narrows Highway at 10:30. Carmen Townsend will perform a song she wrote about the Tree for Boston and a local Mi’Kmaq elder will conduct a smudging ceremony before the tree is cut.
The Townsend family stated they are grateful to the City of Boston and beyond excited to be part of such a wonderful tradition, adding that the tree is such a special gesture of gratitude, hope, and continuing friendship.
The tree will leave Halifax on November 21st and reach its destination of Boston for a tree lighting ceremony at the Boston Common on December 1st.
This year marks the 105th anniversary of the Halifax Explosion a disaster that claimed the lives of almost 2000 people and injured many others.
