There is only one city in America named Bethlehem, and every December, it lives up to its name. Since 1937, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania has officially carried the title "Christmas City USA", but the citys connection to the holiday season runs far deeper than any marketing campaign. It is woven into the very fabric of the community, stretching back to the moment of its founding on Christmas Eve, 1741.
Born on Christmas Eve
The connection between Bethlehem and Christmas is not coincidental: it is foundational. On Christmas Eve, 1741, Moravian settlers gathered in a stable at the confluence of Monocacy Creek and the Lehigh River. As they sang a hymn referencing the biblical Bethlehem, Count Nicholas von Zinzendorf christened the settlement with the name that would forever link it to the birth of Christ.
From that moment forward, Christmas was not just a holiday in Bethlehem: it was part of the citys identity. The Moravians brought with them centuries-old Christmas traditions from Central Europe, and those traditions took root in the Lehigh Valley with a depth and authenticity found nowhere else in America.
The Putz Tradition
Among the most distinctive Moravian Christmas traditions is the "putz", from the German word "putzen," meaning to clean or decorate. A putz is an elaborate Nativity scene featuring miniature wooden figurines that tell the story of Christs birth, often extending far beyond the manger to include entire landscapes, villages, and biblical episodes.
Since 1937, the community putz has been assembled by congregants of Central Moravian Church. In Victorian days, Moravians would "go putzing" between Christmas Eve and New Years, visiting each others homes to view their putz displays. The tradition of hospitality and shared celebration during the Christmas season is central to Moravian culture.
Beeswax Candles and the Lovefeast
The Moravians are renowned for their handmade beeswax candles, crafted as a symbol of the light that Jesus brought to the world. These candles, with their distinctive red paper frills, are made by hand in Bethlehem and have become one of the most recognized symbols of Moravian Christmas traditions.
The "lovefeast" is another beloved tradition: a song service where worshippers share a simple meal of sweet buns and coffee in their pews, celebrating fellowship and community. The Christmas Eve lovefeast at Central Moravian Church, with the sanctuary lit by hundreds of beeswax candles, is one of the most moving worship experiences in American Christianity.
The Moravian Star
No symbol is more associated with Christmas in Bethlehem than the Moravian Star, a many-pointed star that represents the Star of Bethlehem. Originally created in the 1830s at Moravian schools in Germany as a geometry lesson, the star became an enduring symbol of the Moravian faith and is hung during the holiday season throughout the city.
The Bethlehem Star, a massive illuminated star mounted on South Mountain overlooking the city, is visible for miles and has become the defining image of Christmas City USA.
Christmas City Today
Today, Bethlehems Christmas celebrations draw hundreds of thousands of visitors every holiday season. The Christkindlmarkt, modeled on traditional German Christmas markets, fills the SteelStacks campus with vendors, food, and crafts. Historic walking tours lead visitors through the Moravian historic district by candlelight. The community putz continues to welcome visitors at Central Moravian Church.
Nearly three centuries after those first settlers sang in a stable, Bethlehem remains Americas Christmas city, not through marketing alone, but through the living traditions of a community that has celebrated the season since its very first night.
