![\"This](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/bethlehem-mainstreet-holiday02-discoverlehighvalley-hubwilson-july2019-1-scaled-1-1024x683.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSource \/ Discover Lehigh Valley<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSource \/ Discover Lehigh Valley<\/p>\n
Save<\/p>\n
New York City is already starting to dazzle during the holidays<\/a>, but sometimes you want to escape the crowds and dive headfirst into a true Christmas town<\/a>\u00a0experience.<\/p>\n Well don\u2019t we have the journey of a lifetime for you\u2014and it\u2019s just 90 minutes from New York City!<\/p>\n Meet Bethlehem, Pennsylvania\u2014nicknamed \u201cChristmas City USA\u201d\u2014 which quite literally turns into a living holiday postcard every December.<\/p>\n Think cobblestone streets glowing with lantern light, historic buildings adorned with millions of twinkling bulbs, and horse-drawn carriages clopping through the 18th-century district.<\/p>\n Before you even step foot in the town, you have to understand: Bethlehem\u2019s connection to Christmas isn\u2019t a modern marketing gimmick\u2014it\u2019s in the city\u2019s DNA.<\/p>\n The story begins in 1741, when a small group of Moravian settlers gathered in a crude log cabin\u2014the only building in their new settlement\u2014huddled together with their leader, Count Nicolaus von Zinzendorf.<\/p>\n As they sang a hymn with the lyrics, \u201cNot Jerusalem, lowly Bethlehem\u2026 \u2019twas that gave us Christ to save us,\u201d the Count was so moved he christened the new settlement Bethlehem.<\/p>\n A town literally named on Christmas Eve in a stable.<\/p>\n From there, the traditions only grew.<\/p>\n In 1747, Bethlehem became home to the first documented decorated Christmas tree in America (take that, Rockefeller Center!).<\/p>\n The official title of \u201cChristmas City USA,\u201d however, came much later.<\/p>\n During the Great Depression in 1937, the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce launched a campaign to brand the town as the ultimate holiday destination\u2014and it was a hit.<\/p>\n To seal the deal, they erected the massive 90-foot-tall Star of Bethlehem on South Mountain, which has lit up the city every holiday season ever since.<\/p>\n So when you visit, you\u2019re not just walking into a festive town\u2014you\u2019re stepping into the original American Christmas story.<\/p>\n While there\u2019s plenty to take in throughout Bethlehem, the town\u2019s Christmas markets are the truly heart of the city\u2019s festive magic.<\/p>\n Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem<\/p>\n A German-inspired market set against the iconic Bethlehem Steel blast furnaces, Christkindlmarkt is consistently ranked among the top holiday markets in North America.<\/p>\n Wander heated tents featuring 150+ artisan vendors, find authentic German ornaments, handmade gifts, and seasonal treats.<\/p>\n New for 2025: a Winter Wonderland stage, glassblowing demos to craft your own ornament, and private outdoor igloos for cozy festive drinks.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udccd SteelStacks Campus | Weekends, Nov. 14 \u2013 Dec. 21<\/p>\n Christmas City Village<\/p>\n Step into the Historic Moravian District for dozens of charming wooden huts filled with local crafts, holiday foods, and unique gifts.<\/p>\n Free to browse, it\u2019s perfect for strolling with hot cocoa in hand and snapping your holiday Instagram-worthy shots.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udccd Main Street & Sun Inn Courtyard | Fri\u2013Sun, Nov. 14 \u2013 Dec. 21<\/p>\n Bethlehem\u2019s holiday offerings go far beyond markets:<\/p>\n \ud83d\uddd3\ufe0f Live Advent Calendar \u2013 Each night from Dec. 1\u201323, a lucky visitor opens the 1810 Goundie House door to reveal a surprise treat, gift, or performance\u2014a uniquely American tradition.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc34 Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides \u2013 Cruise past historic buildings, each lit by a single Moravian candle, for a magical old-world experience.<\/p>\n \ud83c\udfee Christmas City Stroll & Lantern Tours \u2013 Guided tours in period dress reveal the city\u2019s history, traditions, and why Bethlehem is Christmas City USA.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcd6 Moravian Book Shop \u2013 The nation\u2019s oldest bookstore (est. 1745) becomes a cozy holiday hub filled with books, ornaments, and Moravian crafts.<\/p>\n \ud83c\udf7a Spirits of Christmas Pub Tour \u2013 Adults-only walking tour through historic taverns, ending with a warm Gluhwein in the festively decorated Historic Hotel Bethlehem.<\/p>\n \ud83c\udf7a Holiday Carriage & Ghost Tours \u2013 Family-friendly rides, spooky ghost twists, and festive lights.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc24 PEEPSFEST & Giant PEEPS Drop \u2013 A 400-pound giant Peeps Chick drops at SteelStacks to ring in the new year (Dec 30\u201331).<\/p>\n \ud83c\udf84 Historic Hotel Bethlehem \u2013 Over 35,000 lights, 25 decorated trees, and specialty displays make a visit a holiday destination on its own.<\/p>\n \u2744\ufe0f Winter Light Spectacular at Lehigh Valley Zoo \u2013 Just 30 minutes from downtown, wander over a million lights, festive displays, and visit Santa.<\/p>\n How to visit \u201cChristmas City USA\u201d from NYC<\/p>\n Getting to Bethlehem from New York City is easy: it\u2019s about a 90-minute drive, making it perfect for a quick weekend getaway.<\/p>\n If you prefer not to drive, NJ Transit and Trailways also run limited bus routes straight into town!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Source \/ Discover Lehigh Valley Save New York City is already starting to dazzle during the holidays, but…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":230115,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[153,155,154],"class_list":["post-230114","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\/230114","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=230114"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/230114\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/230115"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=230114"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=230114"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=230114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Bethlehem,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/shutterstock_1259307373-300x200.jpg\")
Shutterstock \/ George Sheldon
\nBethlehem\u00a0is\u00a0Christmas<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Christkindlmarkt-Bethlehem_54_990x660-300x200.webp\")
Source \/ Jeff Auger
\nWhere the true magic lies: the 2 can\u2019t-miss holiday markets<\/p>\n![\"Bethlehem,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/shutterstock_1259307379-300x200.jpg\")
Shutterstock \/ George Sheldon
\nMore to explore during Christmas in Bethlehem<\/p>\n