Whether you’re traveling to the province to be with family for the holidays, to experience our peaceful surroundings or already live here and want to make the most of the season, you’ll find Christmas in Nova Scotia to be a magical time of year.
For those looking for a quiet, intimate Christmas, Nova Scotia has plenty of winter retreats where you can get away from it all. Snow permitting, go snow-shoeing or cross-country skiing in one of our many parks or stroll along our many streets, trails and beaches before spending the evening in front of a crackling fire. Sometimes, the best present is each other!
Nova Scotians are equally fond of their holiday celebrations. There are many Christmas parades and festivals in Nova Scotia such as the Parade of Lights held in Halifax and Yarmouth, the Mahone Bay 'Father Christmas Festival' and the Festival of Trees held in Middle Musquodoboit, Halifax and St. Peter’s. Christmas craft fairs, such as the Christmas Loft Market in Sydney and the Nova Scotia Designer Craft Council’s Designer Craft Show in Halifax, include many unique Nova Scotia gifts – perfect for that ‘hard to buy for’ person on your list!
During the holidays Nova Scotia positively glows, not only with the Christmas spirit, but with tree lights and decorations. Undoubtedly, the most popular traditional Christmas tree is the balsam fir. Lunenburg County on the South Shore happens to be the Balsam Fir Christmas tree capital of the world! Each year, thousands of Nova Scotian grown Christmas trees are shipped to the Caribbean, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and throughout North America. It’s no wonder Nova Scotia is so well known for its Christmas trees!
Did you know that each year, a beautiful Nova Scotia-grown evergreen tree is selected and sent to the city of Boston in appreciation for its assistance following the 1917 Halifax Explosion? Year after year, Bostonians gather to watch the tree brought to life for the holiday season in a spectacular tree lighting ceremony.