The 54th annual Christmas tree sent as a gift from Nova Scotia arrived in Boston on Tuesday morning, bringing the holiday spirit with it to the Common.
“Every winter, the most beautiful tree in the oldest park in America is lit up to the delight of all of our Boston families, in celebration of this partnership and in celebration of the holiday spirit,” said Mayor Michelle Wu, standing in front of the giant spruce wrapped in colorful lights and strapped to a truck. “This is a gift that lights up our Common and lights up our hearts, honoring our partnership and friendship.”
The officials 2025 Christmas tree, a 45-foot-tall white spruce nominated by locals Ronald and Claire Feener of Lunenburg County in Nova Scotia, landed in its home for the season in the Boston Common just after 11 a.m. Tuesday to herald the holiday season.
The annual gift marks the 54th tree donated since 1971 and honors the emergency assistance Boston rushed to the region after the devastating 1917 munitions explosion in Halifax Harbor.
“Over 100 years ago, when one of the largest, at that time the largest man-made disaster in the world to that point happened, the Halifax explosion of 1917,” Wu recounted. “Thousands of people were injured. Almost 2,000 people lost their lives and a community was forever shaken. Boston was the first community from outside Canada to send relief. Within 12 hours of finding out what happened, a train of medical personnel supplies and the bottling up of Boston spirit set out to try to provide relief for our northern neighbors.”
Boston park ranger Walter Evans recited the history of the tragedy and Boston’s role Tuesday, telling of how the explosion in Halifax on Dec. 6, 1917 caused a fireball that reached 9,000 degrees, a shockwave that traveled at 3,400 mph, shattered windows 50 miles away, a tsunami 35 feet tall and the deaths of about 1,900 people.
On Dec. 8, Bostonians arrived to the beleaguered city with aid and “immediately went to work treating the wounded, establishing shelter.”
“Subsequent trains arrived with 100 doctors, 300 nurses, Red Cross personnel, and over $1 million of supplies, all of this without being asked,” Evans said. “The people of Halifax were beyond grateful to the city of Boston, and in 1918 sent a Christmas tree as a token of appreciation to the citizens of Boston for the assistance during their worst hour. In 1971, the tradition was reestablished, and every year the Province of Nova Scotia conducts a contest see who will supply the Christmas tree.”
Mayor Wu took part in the tree cutting ceremony in Canada earlier in the month, wielding a chainsaw and becoming the first Boston mayor to do so.
“I think we can all agree that that’s true dedication to the holiday spirit,” said Parks and Recreation Commissioner Cathy Baker-Eclipse. “So the next time someone says being mayor is a tough job, remind them that it apparently includes lumberjack duties too.”
The tree will be lit at about 7:55 p.m. on Thursday, December 4, with the tree lighting ceremony to take place from 6 to 8 p.m.
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