This year, the New Ross Christmas Festival is pulling out all the stops to celebrate 100 years of the Balsam fir industry with a mix of history, community, and a touch of holiday magic.
You may remember coverage from last year about Twig the Elf, sent by Santa to keep watch on the Christmas trees in Nova Scotia. You’ll be happy to hear that he is back in action this holiday season, visiting businesses and events throughout New Ross and beyond.
“Twig has become synonymous with New Ross,” says Judy O’Leary, the festival’s organizer. “It’s amazing to see how much joy he brings,” says Judy.
Now in its 31st year, the New Ross Christmas Festival highlights the town’s holiday charm, and this year there will be a special focus on its tree-growing history. “We’ve never fully honoured our tree farming roots before, and it felt like the perfect time,” says Judy.
Tree farmer Marty Murphy, whose family has farmed trees in New Ross since the 1950s, says the tree farming industry is crucial to the New Ross economy and community: “Half the households in my neighbourhood are involved in some way — whether it’s tree farming, wreath-making, or leasing land.”
Marty experienced record numbers this year with 8,000 trees cut and sold. During the festival, he’ll be hosting a special exhibit at Ross Farm Museum showcasing historical photos of early tree shipments, and relics like a bullet-pierced saw from 1964 when a hunter mistook a tree-cutter for a deer.
He says learning about the history has given him a new appreciation for his work: “it’s made my employment in this industry so much more meaningful.”
In New Ross, Christmas isn’t just a season — it’s a way of life. Or, as Judy puts it, “How can you be grumpy when you live among Christmas trees?”
