It just doesn't sound right does it? A bit of a fight is brewing in the great city of Boston and it is spreading a bit further north into Canada. It is all over a tree.
Here's a bit of background to the story.
Each year, for the past 30 odd years, Boston has been presented with a gigantic Christmas tree from the Province of Nova Scotia. It's given as thanks for the assistance the city and people of Boston gave to the city of Halifax following the great Explosion in 1917.
It was in December of that year that the amuntions ship the Mont-Blanc collided with another ship and exploded in Halifax harbour. It killed 2000 (the exact number will never be known as so many were washed out to sea) and nearly 10,000 were injured. The city was devastated.
More after the break.
Boston was one of the first to respond with supplies, doctors, nurses and money. The first train left Boston the very evening of the explosion. FEMA could have learned alot from what they pulled off in less than 12 hours.
The generosity of the city and the people were never forgotten. To say thanks, a large tree is found each year and sent to Boston as a gift from Nova Scotia. It's a symbolic tree. The disaster happened just before Christmas and NS likes to think of itself as the Christmas Tree capital of North America.
So now, nearly 100 years later, we've got a diplomatic flap happening over what the tree should be called.
The city, apparently, wants to call it a Holiday Tree. Word of that decision reached Nova Scotia and the man who donated the tree said he wouldn't have given it had he known it wouldn't be a Christmas Tree. In fact, he said he would rather it be put through the wood chipper than having it called what it's not.
For his part, the mayor of Boston said he will call it a Christmas Tree when he lights it up and our Premiere said it left Nova Scotia as a Christmas Tree. But others say that it should be called a Holiday Tree because the city pays for the lights/celebration and the seperation of church and state is essential.
People are mad at the city of Boston for trying to take Christmas out of the season. Others are mad at the city for having it there to begin with. Some Nova Scotians agree with the grower and want it back. Others are angry at him portraying the Province poorly with his comments. It is, I feel, a no-win situation.
So I ask you...has Boston gone too far? Not far enough?