Bethlehem, Pa. — Known as “Christmas City,” Bethlehem is a perfect place to celebrate the holidays.
The city was named by Moravian missionaries who settled in the area in 1741, and today Bethlehem remains home to the largest and best-preserved Moravian settlement in North America. These early protestants brought special holiday traditions and developed new ones as their community grew. You may already recognize some of them—perhaps you even have a Moravian star on your porch—while others, like the Moravian putz, might be new to you. Read on to learn about the historical holiday traditions still celebrated in Bethlehem today—and how you can experience them too.
A brief history of the Moravian Church…