The 83rd annual Boston Christmas tree lighting took place Dec. 5 at Boston Common. Spectators, ranging from young children to seasoned adults, bundled up to watch performances, join in the holiday cheer and light up the city.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, surrounded by young kids and Santa Claus, counted down to light the “gigantic, beautiful tree” at 8 p.m.
“It’s good to get in the Christmas spirit and I like to see everyone watching,” said Sydney Flaherty, a third-year at Emerson College. “Although this year’s not as busy, it’s good. I think it’s just fun. I like Christmas-y stuff.”
Families from as close as down the block to as far as Florida came to watch the tree light up for the holiday season.
“We moved here two years ago and it’s the first Christmas that all four of us can celebrate together and so we just heard it’s a tradition and we wanted to see it,” said Sarah Seifert, a Boston resident who came with her partner and two children to see the lighting.
Seifert said despite temperatures in the low 20s, she and her family were determined to stay until the end to watch the whole tree lighting ceremony. “We want to see the tree. … We’ll stay here until the end.”
The event celebrated gratitude and decades of Boston’s friendship with northern neighbor Nova Scotia. In 1917, two ships collided in Halifax Harbour in Nova Scotia causing a devastating explosion, killing nearly 2,000 people and leaving hundreds severely injured and homeless. The city of Boston sent immediate medical aid and relief supplies to Nova Scotians. Nova Scotia has sent a Christmas tree to the city of Boston every year since to express their gratitude.
“It was a really bad time,” said Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston. “But the good people of Boston [responded]. We remember that kindness and this tree is a way of saying ‘Thank you.’”
This year’s tree is a 45-foot-tall white spruce that was grown by a couple in Nova Scotia 30 years ago and donated to the city of Boston for the 2024 holiday season. It now holds thousands of lights at the center of Boston Common.
The event was sponsored by other corporations including Amazon, JetBlue Airways and Friends of the Public Garden. Each sponsor took a moment to bring in the holiday cheer before/after? the lighting.
“This tree is a symbol of love and hope and joy during the holiday season,” said Liz Vizza, president of Friends of the Public Garden. “Having something that lights up our hearts, our community, that brings us together, is such a beautiful tradition and it reminds us that we are not alone.”
The event was headlined by rock band American Authors, which originated from Boston and whose members attended Berklee College of Music. The band performed their hit songs “Best Day of My Life” and “Christmas Karaoke.” The event also featured performances by local dance, singing and chorus troops and a visit from the Grinch and Santa Claus.
The countdown began just before 8 p.m. as the mayor, children and Santa Claus gathered to light the tree in red, white and green along with a 6-feet-tall, 5.5-feet-wide star and a confetti shower.
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