How two Dalhousie profs saved Woody the Talking Christmas Tree

It was at Mic Mac Mall, where Woody the Talking Christmas Tree, the 56-foot animatronic icon that has delighted and bewildered Maritimers for over four decades, was broken. The mechanics that bring the talking tree to life each year were malfunctioning, and the scheduled November 15th awakening was less than a month away.

Mall owner Joe Ramia of Rank Inc. had exhausted his options. He reached out to Dalhousie looking for anyone who could help.

The Rescue Team

Two assistant professors answered the call: Dr. Hanieh Shakeri and Dr. Joe Malloch. Both specialize in human-computer interaction, making them uniquely suited to help an animatronic tree communicate with children.

Dr. Malloch grew up in Dartmouth and remembered visiting Woody as a kid. For him, the project carried a personal sense of nostalgia. Dr. Shakeri, who had only moved to Halifax in January, had heard of Woody but never seen the tree in person. She found the whole thing amazing and utterly unique.

The work they do in their research lab, studying how humans interact with computer systems, turned out to be directly applicable to Woody’s mechanics. It was, as Shakeri described it, a fun and different way of using their expertise.

Midnight Repairs and Snoring Trees

Over two weeks, the pair made multiple visits to the mall. Once Woody was moved to Centre Court, they had to work after hours to avoid disturbing shoppers. On Dr. Malloch’s final night, with just two days until the wake-up event, he was there past midnight, with Woody’s recorded snores echoing through the empty shopping centre as he worked.

The professors haven’t revealed exactly what the repairs involved. But the results speak for themselves.

Mission Accomplished

On Saturday, November 15th, the “Wake Up Woody” celebration went off without a hitch. Families in pyjamas gathered as Santa led the countdown, and Woody’s eyes flickered open right on cue.

The work didn’t just fix Woody. It improved him. Visitors this season may have noticed that Woody’s blinking eyes move more smoothly than before, and his overall expressiveness has improved as well.

Ramia expressed his gratitude to the Dalhousie team, noting how impressed he was by how quickly they were able to respond and bring the spirit of the season to life.

From Local Legend to International Sensation

If you’re not from around here, you might be wondering why a malfunctioning mall decoration warranted an urgent call to a university.

But Woody isn’t just any mall decoration. When he returned in 2021 after a 15-year hiatus, the internet lost its collective mind. The tree’s expressive face, with its blinking eyes, rosy cheeks, and animated mouth, sparked a wave of viral content that spread far beyond Nova Scotia.

Late-night host Jimmy Fallon dedicated a segment to Woody on The Tonight Show, joking that the tree looked like something out of a nightmare and comparing him to the giant killer doll from Netflix’s Squid Game. Watch the moment Woody became an international celebrity:

CNN picked up the story too, dubbing Woody “the wizard of odd.” Coverage spread to media outlets in Australia and across the United States. A viral TikTok from NowThis racked up over 1.2 million likes, introducing Woody to audiences who had never heard of Dartmouth, let alone its famous festive fir. Even The Beaverton got in on the action, joking that the creepy tree promised to consume no more than four children during the 2021 holiday shopping season.

For Maritimers who grew up with Woody in the ’80s and ’90s, the global attention was both surreal and validating. They always knew the tree was special. Now the rest of the world was catching on.

A Brief History of Woody

1983: Woody the Talking Christmas Tree debuts at Mic Mac Mall in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The original version featured a face made of tree branches that could move up and down.

Early 1990s: Woody receives a facelift and upgraded mechanics, including levers and pulleys for lip-synced mouth movement and moving eyes. Local radio DJs and celebrities would hide in a nearby shed to provide Woody’s voice through hidden microphones.

2006: After more than two decades, Woody is retired due to structural deterioration and safety concerns.

2006 to 2021: Despite being gone, Woody remains a topic of conversation every holiday season. Fans campaign for his return.

September 2021: Halifax developer Joe Ramia purchases Mic Mac Mall, with restoring Woody as a top priority.

November 2021: “Woody 3.0” is unveiled, featuring a new 3D-printed face created by Halifax company EurekaTec Technologies and electronic controls. The return goes viral. Jimmy Fallon jokes about Woody on The Tonight Show, CNN calls him “the wizard of odd,” and social media can’t look away.

October 2025: Woody’s mechanical systems malfunction weeks before the scheduled wake-up. Dalhousie professors Dr. Hanieh Shakeri and Dr. Joe Malloch are called in to help.

November 15, 2025: Thanks to the Dalhousie team, Woody wakes up on schedule with improved functionality.

December 23, 2025: Woody’s final day for the 2025 season.

Only 2 Days Left

Thanks to Dr. Shakeri and Dr. Malloch, Woody has been chatting with visitors all season. But time is almost up.

Final visiting hours:

Sunday, December 21: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Monday, December 22: 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Tuesday, December 23 (FINAL DAY): 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Location: Mic Mac Mall, Centre Court, 21 Mic Mac Boulevard, Dartmouth

The Woody Store near Guest Services offers merchandise including toques, ornaments, and the popular “bye birches” t-shirts, with proceeds supporting the IWK Foundation.

After December 23rd, Woody goes back to sleep until next November. But when he wakes up in 2026, he’ll be running on code written by Dalhousie’s own holiday heroes.

Tree you later.