Did you know there is a "Balsam Fir Christmas Tree Capital of the World"?  That's right! And Nova Scotia's Lunenburg County is the proud holder of this festive title.

The province'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.

But these are not the only Christmas trees gaining world-wide recognition in Nova Scotia.

Adorned with colourful buoys, twinkling lights and evergreen boughs, towering Christmas trees fashioned out of carefully stacked lobster traps are becoming regular fixtures in fishing communities across Nova Scotia. 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. So, each year, a five-metre tall tree made from about 200 rectangular, metal traps — often referred to as lobster pots — is constructed at the Cape Sable Island Causeway .

Most of the pots are reclaimed from the local landfill, each of which has served their duty catching thousands of lobster on the bottom of the ocean floor. The traps are then festooned with over 180 wooden and plastic buoys, each painted in a pattern uniquely pertaining to a local fishing boat and most inscribed with the names of fishermen lost at sea.

Over the years, other Nova Scotia communities have joined the tradition, including East Pubnico, Port Mouton, Sandy Point, Port Maitland, Toney River, Wallace, Cheticamp, Gabarus and Musquodoboit Harbour.

Trees in Dennis Point and Pugwash also pay homage to the lobster fishers of the areas, but with a slightly different twist – these trees are constructed of hundreds of buoys and are upwards of 20-25 feet, full of lights and decorated with colourful buoys donated by local residents and fishermen alike.  And like the lobster trap trees, the buoys often serve as memorials to loved ones in the communities.

To learn more about Nova Scotia's Unique Christmas Tree Traditions visit this link

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