Boston authorities learned of the disaster by telegraph, and quickly organized and dispatched a relief train around 10 pm to assist survivors.

A blizzard delayed the train, which finally arrived in the early morning of December 8 and immediately began distributing food, water, and medical supplies.

Numerous personnel on the train were able to relieve the Nova Scotia medical staff, most of whom had worked without rest since the explosion occurred.

Nova Scotian children study the explosion in school and know that "Boston was one of the first responders, and really a lifesaver.

[12] The province also donates smaller trees to Rosie's Place and the Pine Street Inn, homeless shelters in Boston.

[3] Owners often would not normally "have dreamed of cutting down the big spruce Grandpa planted" but will "gladly part with it" when told it is going to Boston.

[3] Knowing its symbolic importance to both jurisdictions, the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources has specific guidelines for selecting the tree.

For the specialist the "tree can be elusive, the demands excessive, and the job requires remembering the locations of the best specimens in the province and persuading the people who own them to give them up for a pittance.

[16][17][c] In 2014, students and staff in the environmental technologies program at the Nova Scotia Community College Strait Area Campus cut down that year's tree.

[17] The tree travels over 750 miles (1,200 km) to Boston, with a stop at the Grand Parade in Halifax for a public send-off ceremony featuring a live musical performance by The Stanfields.

[16] The 1998 tree required more than 3,200 man hours to decorate, as well as 4+1⁄2 miles (7 km) of wire and 17,000 multi-colored lights.

[32] The tree donated by Nova Scotia was placed at the Prudential Center from 1971[31] until 2002, when it was moved to the Boston Common because of planned development.

While the donation of the Christmas Tree is first and foremost a gift, it is also a major marketing effort for Nova Scotia.

[16] Provincial officials, including the premier and his staff, were flown to Boston and put up in local hotels at an expense of CA$12,000.

[16] WCVB, the Boston ABC affiliate received US$55,000 (CA$75,000) to broadcast a live one-hour tree lighting special.