How Real Christmas Trees Reached Trinidad

Before the 1960s, in Trinidad, a ‘Christmas Tree’ typically referred to a decorated guava or coffee branch. This tradition radically shifted due to the ambitious dream of a 19-year-old Canadian YMCA volunteer, Gordon Cressy. In 1963, Cressy decided to import 1,500 real Scotch Pines from Canada to Trinidad with the intention to fundraise for the YMCA. Despite a series of setbacks, including a fire on the first cargo ship and a strike in Bermuda that stranded the trees, Cressy remained undeterred. With the help of BWIA, who cleared out a plane to transport the trees, the young volunteer managed to bring the pines to Trinidad just in time for Christmas. The trees were sold at a dollar per foot, introducing the scent of fresh pine into Trinidadian homes for the first time during the festive season. The funds raised from the sales helped the YMCA purchase its first weightlifting and table tennis equipment. Today, while Christmas trees are a common sight, this shift in tradition can be traced back to one determined teenager’s dream.

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