A Nova Scotia tradition that recalls how New England residents helped Halifax after a massive explosion ripped through the capital city 100 years ago is underway today.
Each year the province cuts down a Christmas tree and sends it to Boston as an act of gratitude for sending a trainload of volunteers and supplies to assist thousands of injured and homeless citizens in the damaged city.
READ: Nova Scotia arranges annual gift for the city of Boston: a big Christmas tree
The 100th anniversary tree is a 45-year-old, 16-metre white spruce in Blues Mills, about 38 kilometres from Baddeck in Cape Breton.
Waycobah First Nations resident John William Cremo will conduct a smudging ceremony, and an honour song will be performed by Mi’kmaq drummers to mark the occasion.
The tree will be cut down by community college students and loaded onto a Department of Transportation flatbed truck and then depart for Halifax before beginning its journey to Boston.
Boston’s mayor will be joined by members of the RCMP on Nov. 30 for a tree-lighting ceremony on the Boston Commons, in which 7,000 lights are turned on.