Oh little town of Bethlehem, Pa.

The Christmas season is upon us once again, and nowhere is it done better than the old steel town of Bethlehem, Pa. Dubbed ‘Christmas City’ by residents and visitors alike, the city’s historic Moravian quarters are decorated with white candles in the windows and the streets glisten with Christmas decorations, lights and traditional displays. 

Settled by Protestant immigrants from Moravia — what’s now the eastern part of the Czech Republic — this Slavic ethnic group made Bethlehem its home in the New World on Christmas Eve in 1741.  

Independent and family-owned stores still border the streets of Bethlehem, and many of the stone buildings are heritage-listed. Congressman Charlie Dent (R-Pa.) represents this historic place and has fond memories of the tastefully decorated Main Street. 

“Bethlehem has a great ambience and charm, it’s a national historic landmark and is quite a special city during Christmas,” said Dent. 

“Although my family and I live in Allentown, which is adjacent to Bethlehem ... we have fond memories of Bethlehem during the holiday season.”

Full of ancient culture and tradition, Bethlehem has regular tours showing people the historic and original buildings along with the central Moravian church, which is in the heart of the town. Along with decorations and everything Christmas, the 100-year-old Bach choir puts on special performances and sings in German to respect the traditions of Bethlehem. 

President of Historic Bethlehem Museums and Sites Charlene Donchez-Mowers said that although the town is now a city and more densely populated, the 44 acres of historic buildings are much the same as they were in the 18th century. 

“Bethlehem is so charming during the holidays, it is Christmas City USA,” said Mowers. 

“We have Bethlehem by Night bus tours, so people can enjoy the lights and displays, and we also show them where they can eat their way around town.” 

The founders of Bethlehem were from all over Europe, yet they were connected by the Moravian religion. This left some traditions during Christmas that might differ from the rest of America’s. 

“We have the Moravian 26-point star and we leave lit white candles in every window, we also have very traditional displays, which illustrate the Christmas story in miniature. These are called Putz, and the Moravian Church has the largest one in town,” said Mowers. 

The Putz displays are not just for decoration, such as a shooting star or baby Jesus in a manger, having served to explain the birth of Jesus and the Christmas story to those that couldn’t read or write. 

A Dutch influence on the town is felt through a children’s bedtime story called the Belsnickle. The Belsnickle is a figure of folklore that would show up 1-2 weeks before Christmas and carried switches instead of treats. He was often ragged and mean-looking, which was used to scare children into being good for their parents before Christmas so they would get gifts from Santa Claus, and not be beaten by switches from the Belsnickle. 

Dent read the Belschnickle story out loud, speaking English with German grammar, which made the image of the animal-skin-clad monster seem even more real. 

“The Belsnickle traveled from house to house brandishing his switches in the air. He would use these switches to whip naughty children instead of giving them treats,” said Dent. 

Along with all Bethlehem has to offer, the Christkindlmarkt has been the highlight for more than a million guests from around the world. This year it will have its 20th year operating in Bethlehem and will run for six weeks, with more than 125 vendors each year celebrating holiday craftsmanship. 

Christmas City USA has many charms to offer, but the very feel of this unique town is a holiday experience like no other.