Boston Common Christmas tree reflects enduring gratitude NECN [Video]

A symbol of enduring gratitude, this year’s Christmas tree has arrived in the Boston Common, marking the 53rd annual donation of a tree from Nova Scotia.

The tree, a 45-foot white spruce, was driven down from the rural community of Mattie Settlement in Antigonish County on Sunday and arrived in the Common on Tuesday morning. It will be lit on Dec. 5, and stand in the park throughout the holiday season.

The donation is a commemoration of 106 years of gratitude between the people of Nova Scotia and Boston, Park Ranger Walter Evans said at a small ceremony Tuesday in the rain on the Common.

The story dates back to 1917, when the city of Boston provided emergency aid to Halifax, Nova Scotia, after a devastating munitions explosion in the harbor, which claimed the lives of roughly 1,900 people and destroyed much of the city.

“Every building within a two …