Massive Christmas tree destined for Boston cut down near Trenton

Nova Scotia's annual ritual of giving Boston a Christmas tree began Wednesday near Trenton.

The 13.7-metre tree wascut down with a chainsawon theproperty of donorsDesmond Waithe and Corina Saunders.

Children from Pictou Landing First Nation and Frank H. MacDonald Elementary School performed for the crowd during the festivities.

But the event was not without its hiccupsas heavy rain on Tuesday made for mucky conditions. The crane that was to hoist the tree onto a truck briefly got stuck.

An official send-off forthe tree will be held in downtownHalifax on Friday. It will also make an appearance in a holiday parade in Halifax onSaturday.

The tree,which has its Twitter account, will then make the1,100-kilometrejourney to Massachusetts, where about 6,000 lights will be added to its branches.

Thetree is a gift meant to show the province's gratitude for the help Bostonians provided after the Halifax Explosion on Dec. 6, 1917.