Christmas in Nova Scotia sees the province brimming with festive entertainment, holiday house tours, Christmas light spectacles and some unique Christmas Tree Traditions.
Did you know that Lunenburg County is considered the “Balsam Fir Christmas Tree Capital of the World”? Nova Scotia’s cool and humid winter climate is ideal for growing balsam firs, which have become the Christmas tree of choice in large parts of North America because of their lush foliage, fragrant aroma and low needle loss. Each year, Nova Scotia’s tree growers sell and ship over 350,000 balsam fir trees throughout Canada and the United States, spreading the characteristic “smell of Christmas” across the continent.
Though the balsam firs are incredibly popular throughout the province and North America as a whole; many of the locals living in the fishing villages and lobster-loving coastal towns, have opted to build their Christmas trees out of alternative materials over the past few years.
Barrington, on the southwest coast, bills itself as the “Lobster Capital of Canada” – rightfully so since about 40 per cent of the country’s lobster harvest comes from this area annually. It is only fitting then that their tree is not a fir tree but made up of lobster pots. Adorned with colourful buoys, twinkling lights and evergreen boughs, towering Christmas trees fashioned out of carefully stacked lobster traps have become regular fixtures and the centre of Christmas festivities across Nova Scotia.
Saved from landfill these well used lobster pots get to live another life and serve as a reminder to locals and visitors to Nova Scotia of the importance of the fishing communities. Many families have connections with the traditional fishing trade and the lobster pot trees stand tall as a mark of respect and celebration for all the fantastic fisherman that have worked hard to keep the communities going. With eight miles of fertile coastline it is no wonder that lobster is the dish of the day – every day – be it a lobster roll, kiev, soup, burger or ice cream.
If you want to embark on your own lobster trail around Nova Scotia, tasting and experiencing all the different lobster reincarnations as you go or to learn more about Nova Scotia’s Unique Christmas Tree Traditions visit this link www.novascotia.com
