DORVAL – For many Montrealers the Santa Claus parade marks the official start of the holiday season, but for residents of Clement Street, nothing says holidays like Robert Gallant’s tree.
It was 34 years ago that Gallant first pulled out his step ladder, at the behest of his wife, to string some lights on the white pine on his front lawn.
As the years passed, and the tree grew, Gallant graduated from the step ladder to a ladder with an extension, and for the past 19 years, he’s had to rent a crane to get the job done.
According to Gallant, the tree now stands approximately 68 feet tall.
At the latest count, 5,000 lights graced the branches of the tree, with the Home Depot in Pointe-Claire promising to provide the Gallants with any additional lights they may need.
Putting the lights up is a two-day ordeal but encouragement from the neighbourhood kids, keeps Gallant going.
“School children and moms walking by clapped their hands and cars drive by and honk their horns,” he said. “It’s a good neighbourhood spirit.”
Some might call it a Clement Street tradition, but Gallant refers to it as a challenge – one that he’s willing to take on year after year, for as long as he can.
“It’s a lot of fun and right now at my age it’s more of a challenge, so as long I’m healthy and I still have my son around to give me a hand we’ll make it happen,” he said.
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