Photo: Tree For Boston
BOSTON (WBZNewsRadio) - Hundreds of people came out to the Boston Common for the annual tree lighting celebration.
It's Boston Common's 81st annual tree lighting celebration and the 51st year that the tree has been gifted from Nova Scotia. The annual gift for the people of Boston is a deeply rooted Nova Scotia tradition, stemming from the Halifax Explosion in 1917.
On December 6, 105 years ago, two ships collided in Halifax Harbour, causing an explosion that killed nearly 2,000 people. Boston was quick to send medical personnel and supplies in the wake of the tragedy.
“The holidays are a time of reflection and gratitude,” said Tory Rushton, Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables. “The Tree for Boston continues to be a sign of our deep appreciation for the aid Boston provided after the Halifax Explosion.”
This year's tree, a 45-foot white spruce, was donated by Roddy Townsend, along with his children Angela, Carmen and Andrew of Christmas Island.
This year's ceremony ended with quite the bang, as fireworks exploded around the beautifully lit tree.
For many who attended Thursday night's tree lighting it has been an annual tradition but there were a few new faces in the crowd this year.
"Because the tree is coming from Cape Bretton and that's where my roots are, so this is big for me." Cece told WBZ's Shari Small. The grandmother brought the whole family out to watch the tree light up for the first time and says she hopes to make it a yearly tradition.
WBZ's Shari Small (@ShariSmallNews) reports
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