Editor’s note: This story appeared in the November/December 2023 issue of Bethesda Magazine
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, has quite an industrious history, from the hardworking Moravian settlers who chose this fertile Lehigh Valley location in 1741 to the massive furnaces of Bethlehem Steel that dominated the landscape for more than a century. Today the erstwhile Rust Belt town has become a beacon for tourists during the holiday season, having earned the sparkly moniker “Christmas City.”
In fact, some—like the couple I encountered in my hotel lobby during a visit last December—make an annual pilgrimage to revel in its yuletide festivities.
“See you again next year!” they chirped at the front desk clerk with broad smiles—and then, turning to me: “We come every year. We love it here.”
They’re not the only regulars, the clerk assured me. Whether you celebrate Christmas as a religious, secular or commercial holiday, Bethlehem brings the magic.
Yes, there are oodles of Hallmark-y displays—more holiday ornaments than you can count, thousands of twinkling lights and a charming village bazaar (reminiscent of Europe’s famed Christmas markets) packed with artisanal wares and food vendors in tents. In 2022, the town’s annual Christmas tree tour showcased 26 faux firs decorated to the hilt with toy-and-game-themed concepts ranging from Dungeons & Dragons to mah-jongg.
But there’s more to Bethlehem than dazzling holiday displays. Intimate and walkable, it claims more original Colonial-era buildings than Williamsburg, Virginia (where most of the buildings are reproductions) and its historic Moravian district is a bastion of Germanic-style architecture, where herringbone-patterned doors and dormered gambrel roofs make for a picturesque walk, day or night.
Outside the visitor center, my friend Carol Bernstein and I meet our guide, Loretta Hein—who is decked out in traditional Czech garb—for a “Christmas City stroll” walking tour. The Moravian religion arose from the early-15th-century teachings of Jan Hus, a Reformation figure in what is now modern-day Czechia, who advocated against the sale of indulgences and urged greater participation by common folk in religious ceremonies. Hus was burned at the stake in 1415, but his undaunted followers gathered in 1457 to form the Moravian Church.
As we walk, Hein assures us that Moravians are “not a people who have died off”; the religion today has about 60,000 followers in North America. You can still attend a Moravian service at the cupola-topped Central Moravian Church.
The town of Bethlehem was established in 1741 by a group of Moravians who had moved to the British colonies to create a missionary settlement. On Christmas Eve of that same year, the influential Moravian Count Zinzendorf organized a so-called “love feast” (agape service), Hein explains, and the town assumed the name Bethlehem in honor of that holiday celebration and the story of Jesus’ birth. Today, Moravians continue to host these simple, communal meals to promote fellowship on special occasions.
The sect is known for its three-dimensional star, with points radiating in all directions like the Star of Bethlehem.
Though residency in Bethlehem proper was initially limited to Moravians, the townsfolk established the respected Sun Inn across the river in 1758, welcoming travelers no less than George Washington and Ben Franklin. These days, you can grab a seat at the bar and enjoy updated tavern fare and drinks from a local distillery in the restored structure.
Another founding father, John Adams, was struck by the community’s industrial advances, calling it “a curious and remarkable town.” In 1754, Bethlehem boasted the first municipal water system capable of pumping water uphill from the lower river. That riverside area, now a National Historic Landmark District that was also nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, is worth a gander—especially if you like older buildings.
To modern minds, the Moravian settlers would be considered more progressive than their contemporaries, given that they educated boys and girls similarly and opened the first boarding school for girls in the colonies. They did not enslave people, Hein adds, and did not differentiate based on skin color.
As evening falls, we are wowed by some seriously illuminated evergreens before crossing the river to the town’s celebrated Christkindlmarkt. Twice recognized by Travel + Leisure as one of the best holiday markets in the U.S., it’s packed with glittering ornaments, Bavarian-style nutcrackers, cuckoo clocks and holiday tchotchkes. The elaborate, lathe-turned wooden cutouts and figurines by Käthe Wohlfahrt, a German craft company, are especially eye-catching, albeit a tad pricey. I pause to covet a large carving of a holiday scene under a candle-powered spinning windmill.
Elsewhere in the market, we spy glassblowers creating ornaments and ice carvers hard at work. The festive and German-themed cuisine includes sausages, potato pancakes and strudels, plus freshly made stroopwafels.
No less captivating are the landmarks symbolizing Bethlehem’s postindustrial rejuvenation. As a company town for more than a century, Bethlehem produced the essential steel for skyscrapers, ships and the U.S. Navy’s heavy armor plating until 1995, when its blast furnaces were finally decommissioned. Today, the former steel plant has been reinvented as SteelStacks, a cultural and historic center that hosts festivals and concerts. Towering over the Christmas tents, campfires and ice rink, its lighted stacks have a steampunk quality that is at once alluring and haunting.
On our second morning, we head to the nearby Easton Farmers’ Market, which claims to be the longest continuously running market in America. The winter offerings are light—mostly breads, mushrooms and pickles. Easton is located where the Delaware River splits off into the Lehigh River and, like Bethlehem, has a history that predates the Revolutionary War. To this day, its residents celebrate Independence Day a week later than most—because that’s how long it took for the news of America’s independence to reach them.
A few blocks from the riverfront, the recently revitalized Easton Winter Market fills the central square with live entertainment, a skating rink and small, decorated huts serving up glühwein, stuffed pretzels, craft beer, chocolate and more. As we wander the main streets—home to Lafayette College—and enjoy local fare, we are once again warmed by the people.
Gastronomically, our visit peaks with dinner at Bolete, a celebrated restaurant in Bethlehem. Housed in a former stagecoach inn—parts of which date to 1734—the restaurant offers one of the best soups I’ve ever tasted, a lightly smoky squash bisque. My entrée of cast-seared halibut accented with bacon lardons, crispy Brussels sprouts and oyster mushrooms also delivers. Later, I’m blown away by the tantalizing sweet potato profiteroles that come for dessert—delicate pastry orbs filled with sweet-potato mousse and toasted marshmallows, paired with cinnamon brown sugar ice cream and gingersnap crumble. Yet another festive spin in a valley that has mastered reinvention.
If you go…
Where to Stay
Live it up at the stately and centrally located Hotel Bethlehem (hotelbethlehem.com), thrice named “the best historic hotel in America” by USA Today, and dine at its light-filled restaurant, 1741 on the Terrace. The Hyatt Place Bethlehem (hyatt.com) offers an easy walk to town and free parking. Or, stay closer to SteelStacks across the river at the 1858 Sayre Mansion (sayremansion.com), which offers afternoon tea.
Where to Eat & Drink
For a caffeine fix, sip a coffee drink at Bitty & Beau’s (bittyandbeauscoffee.com), which lives its mission of providing jobs for people with disabilities. Bethlehem’s popular Apollo Grill (apollogrill.com) has a hoppin’ happy hour and a wide-ranging menu. Treat your taste buds to some magic at critically acclaimed Bolete (boleterestaurant.com), where the seasonal menus showcase regional ingredients and plenty of culinary ingenuity. In Easton, check out Sette Luna (setteluna.com), a Tuscan trattoria with fresh salads, fun pizzas and a proper beverage program listing craft suds and Italian wines, plus Italian liqueurs, amari and grappa. At the indoor Easton Public Market (eastonpublicmarket.com) you’ll find everything from noodles and tacos to barbecue. For drinks, go for the local stuff at Social Still distillery (socialstill.com) and Bonn Place Brewing Co. (bonnbrewing.com) in Bethlehem, and Seven Sirens Brewing Co. (sevensirens.beer), which has brewpubs in both Bethlehem and Easton.
What to Do
This year, Bethlehem’s Christkindlmarkt (christmascity.org) runs on weekends through Dec. 22. The ice rink at SteelStacks (steelstacks.org) is open daily through Jan. 5, with 75-minute skating sessions. The “Rise and Fall of Bethlehem Steel” tour departs from the SteelStacks visitor center at 1 p.m. every Friday through Monday through Dec. 30. For bibliophiles, the Moravian University book shop (moravian.bncollege.com) claims to be the oldest continuously operating bookstore in America.
Amy Brecount White frequently writes about immersive travel.
