Nova Scotia is embracing a unique holiday tradition that combines festive cheer with its rich coastal heritage: Christmas trees made from lobster traps. Adorned with lights, buoys, and miniature lighthouses, these unconventional trees celebrate the region’s deep connection to the fishing industry.

In Barrington, known as the “lobster capital of Canada,” a lobster trap tree with 200 stacked traps that is crowned with a miniature lighthouse stands as a proud symbol of Maritime culture during the holiday season. This tradition also carries a deeper meaning, as communities come together to honour lost loved ones and celebrate their shared heritage.

Lobster trap Christmas trees have become a cherished tradition in Nova Scotia, with one of the first built in Barrington in 2009. Inspired by Gloucester, Massachusetts, where the idea originated in the early 2000s, more communities have since joined in. Suzy Atwood, the town’s marketing director, emphasizes that the lobster industry is the backbone of the community.

In Toney River, Pictou County, the lobster trap Christmas tree carries a deeply personal meaning. Catherine Falconer began building the tree in 2019 as a tribute to her late son, Nick, who passed away at the age of 24. Each year, residents add buoys to the tree, each one bearing the name of a loved one who has passed, transforming the tree into a powerful symbol of remembrance and support.

Catherine Falconer shared that her son Nick, her husband’s family, and many others in Toney River are fishermen who have lost loved ones in fishing accidents. The lobster trap tree brings “a bit of added light” during the holidays, offering the community a chance to come together and honour those they’ve lost.

Source: CBC