BOSTON, MASS. – Boston Common is aglow in the bright colours of the Christmas holiday season.
Thursday night, the stately 46-ft. white spruce with Oxford, Nova Scotia roots was officially lit up to the delight of the large crowd on hand.
A tradition dating back to 1971, the province annually provides the city of Boston with its centrepiece Christmas tree, marking the holiday season. The gesture continues to be a show of gratitude to the American city for mobilizing a force of medical personnel and supplies, which made its way northward to assist in the aftermath of the Halifax Explosion in December 1917.
In Boston, under an impressive display of fireworks and confetti swirling in the wind, thousands celebrated the tree lighting, counting down from 10, as Mayor Martin J. Walsh flipped the switch. The night included a visit from Santa Claus and the singing of holiday carols.
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