{"id":220134,"date":"2026-06-16T04:09:45","date_gmt":"2026-06-16T04:09:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/220134\/"},"modified":"2026-06-16T04:09:45","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T04:09:45","slug":"how-to-spend-the-holiday-season-in-bethlehem-pennsylvania","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/220134\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Spend the Holiday Season in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s not marketing hype or hyperbole: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is The Christmas City. While it\u2019s not the birthplace of Jesus, it was founded on December 24, 1741, by Moravian settlers who had arrived from Germany; since then, it\u2019s been inextricably linked to Christmas. In 1747, it was the first U.S. city to feature a decorated Christmas tree and in 1937, it adopted the nickname Christmas City USA. Around that same time, a giant star decoration was installed on South Mountain as an homage to the Biblical guide of the Magi, and it has become a beloved landmark. Just as iconic are the warmly lit Moravian stars you\u2019ll see atop many doorways, a three-dimensional design that dates back to 1850; it\u2019s also called the Advent Star or the Herrnhut Star, a reference to the German city where they were once exclusively produced.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This year, with the recent release of the independent film Saint Nick of Bethlehem<\/a>, the city\u2019s association with Christmas is especially timely. The poignant movie, directed by Bethlehem native Daniel Roebuck and set in the city, is based on the true story of a man who lost his son, became a Santa of sorts, and reunited with his love.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As a native to the area (I grew up in Nazareth, and yes, it\u2019s next to Bethlehem), I return several times a year to see friends and family \u2014 including during the holiday season. For years, our Christmas Eve tradition is to meet up with friends at a traditional Moravian service, listen to Christmas music while driving around looking at houses decorated with candles and Moravian star pendants, sip cocktails at the Historic Hotel Bethlehem and dine at one of the restaurants downtown. Bethlehem is less than four hours from Northern Virginia \u2014 why not make your own holiday memories in this unique destination?\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Hotel\"HotelCourtesy Hotel Bethlehem<\/p>\n

Stay (or Dine) at an Iconic Hotel\u00a0<\/p>\n

In 1741, Moravian missionaries built the House of Bethlehem on the site of the current Historic Hotel Bethlehem<\/a>, which opened in 1922. The anchor point on Main Street, its red sign is visible from all over downtown; it\u2019s also gloriously decorated for the holidays. The hotel makes for a perfect home base for a weekend getaway, but even if you aren\u2019t staying, it\u2019s still worth a visit. Order a round of cocktails in The Tap Room, snap some photos in front of the massive Christmas tree in the lobby, then grab a table on the mezzanine level to marvel at the garland, trees, and a nativity scene (which the Moravians call a \u201cputz\u201d.) For a memorable dinner on Christmas Eve or another night, dine at 1741 on the Terrace, which has floor-to-ceiling Palladian windows and a tile floor adorned with the Christmas star; the fine dining restaurant specializes in dishes like rosemary and mustard lamb chops, dry-aged ribeye steak, and butter-poached lobster rolls.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Stroll Down Main Street\u00a0<\/p>\n

The main downtown thoroughfare is decorated so prettily this time of year, with old-fashioned street lamps, white string lights strewn in tree branches, bow-topped wreaths, and evergreen boughs adorning doors and lit candles in every single window. It\u2019s also a great place to shop for Christmas presents. Founded in 1745, the Moravian Book Shop<\/a> is the oldest bookstore in the U.S. and sells a wide range of titles as well as Bethlehem-curated items and souvenirs, including handmade beeswax candles and the ubiquitous Moravian stars in different materials and sizes. Donegal Square<\/a> offers authentic Celtic and Irish attire, ceramics, glassware, and jewelry, including the Bethlehem Star collection of pendants and earrings that\u2019s a collaboration between proprietor Neville Gardner and ShanOne Jewelry of Ireland. If you\u2019re shopping for a foodie, pick up a few infused bottles at Seasons Olive Oil & Vinegar<\/a> or nostalgic confections at Grandpa Joe\u2019s Candy Shop<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Attend a Moravian Advent or Christmas Service\u00a0<\/p>\n

In July 2024, the Moravian Church Settlements in Bethlehem became the 26th UNESCO World Heritage Site in the United States. This religion is a Protestant denomination, with music playing a central role. Paramount to Moravians\u2019 worship, especially around the holidays, is the Lovefeast, a tradition that began in 1727 in Herrnhut, Germany. It\u2019s truly a special experience and is open to all, with Christmas carols, a sermon or conversation, and a simple meal served \u2014 generally juice or \u201cfixed coffee\u201d with milk and sugar, and a piece of sugar cake, a cookie, or a bun. The service ends with the entire congregation lighting handmade beeswax candles decorated with red paper frills. Seats at Central Moravian Church<\/a> downtown can be difficult to get, especially on Christmas Eve, but there are other options in the area including East Hills Moravian Church<\/a>, West Side Moravian Church<\/a>, and College Hill Moravian Church<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"christmas\"christmasChristy City Village (Courtesy Discover Lehigh Valley)<\/p>\n

Go to a Christmas Market\u00a0<\/p>\n

Not surprisingly, Bethlehem\u2019s German heritage has inspired not one but two European-style Christmas markets. Now in its 32nd year, Christkindlmarkt<\/a> is held Thursday through Sunday during the season at SteelStacks<\/a>, the arts and entertainment complex on the repurposed site of the former Bethlehem Steel plant. The annual ticketed event features artisans and craftspeople selling handmade items and gifts like Christmas ornaments, fine art photos, holiday decor, and collectibles. You can watch ice sculptors and glass blowers at work, all while enjoying traditional fare like strudel, bratwurst, Christmas cookies, mulled wine, and craft beer. Kids can make holiday crafts at the Crayola Creativity Station, and you can also go ice skating on a rink in the shadow of the imposing steel plant, a 20th-century industrial powerhouse. Downtown, Christmas City Village and Christmas Hut on Main<\/a> features holiday-themed wooden huts displaying retail items and gifts; this free event is open Friday through Sunday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"live\"liveLive Advent Calendar (Courtesy Discover Lehigh Valley)<\/p>\n

Watch a Live Advent Calendar\u00a0<\/p>\n

The only event like it in the country, this unique attraction<\/a> is what you\u2019d get if you crossed a\u00a0living nativity scene with your chocolate-filled Christmas countdown calendar. Each night at 5:30 p.m. starting on December 1, visitors flock to 1810 Goundie House for a 10- to 15-minute presentation. Someone is selected from the crowd \u2014 which can top out at 300 people each evening \u2014 to knock on the door, after which a special guest from a local business or organization distributes treats and goodies to everyone. (The event is sponsored by merchants of the Downtown Bethlehem Association (DBA) in conjunction with Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites.)\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"carriage\"carriageHorse-drawn carriage rides start on December 13 in Bethlehem. (Photo by Ang Caggiano, courtesy Discover Lehigh Valley)<\/p>\n

Take a Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride\u00a0<\/p>\n

What could be more fun than cuddling up under a blanket and riding around downtown Bethlehem while taking in the rich history, architecture, and holiday decorations? Thirty-minute horse-drawn carriage rides<\/a> run from December 13 to December 29, loading up in front of the Central Moravian Church. Wagons hold 13 passengers, so while this isn\u2019t a private ride, it\u2019s certainly a festive one. If you\u2019re looking for something more intimate, book a two-person romantic carriage ride, or book one, two, or all three rows in a nine-person carriage.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Feature image courtesy Discover Lehigh Valley<\/p>\n

For more stories like this,\u00a0subscribe<\/a>\u00a0to Northern Virginia Magazine\u2019s Things to Do newsletter.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It\u2019s not marketing hype or hyperbole: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is The Christmas City. While it\u2019s not the birthplace of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":220135,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[153,155,154],"class_list":["post-220134","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem-headlines","tag-bethlehem-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/220134","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=220134"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/220134\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/220135"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=220134"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=220134"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=220134"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}