Happy Christmas Eve! I went on one last holiday-inspired adventure and I wanted to share it everyone before we cross the Christmas finish line. Where did I go? Read on to find out.
My friend Jessie and I took a mini road trip to Bethlehem, as in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, a.k.a. Christmas City. The city is home to Lehigh University and the Bethlehem Bach Choir. It’s also the home of the Peep. You know, those marshmallow, sugar-coated confections? At one point, the city was also the location of the second largest steel manufacturer in the nation, the aptly named Bethlehem Steel. The sprawling campus that was once Bethlehem Steel is undergoing some serious renovations to become a cultural center now dubbed the SteelStacks. In short, there’s a lot happening here.
The SteelStacks, more specifically Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem at the SteelStacks, is what lured Jessie and me to Christmas City.
Before heading to the market, we explored the remnants of Bethlehem Steel via the Hoover Mason Trestle. It’s a guided (at specific times) and self-guided tour with beautiful placards that tell you all about its history. The last pour of hot, molten steel was in November 1995. It never ceases to surprise me how quickly Mother Nature can reclaim a space once regular human activity has stopped. There is something sad but beautiful in the remaining structures, though I’m sure the former steel workers would beg to differ.
Next it was on to the market! Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem was comprised of four large heated tents, each packed to the gills with vendors and artisans. Our first stop, not surprisingly, was for a cup of warm spiced wine before perusing the tents for last minute Christmas gifts.
By now you should all know that this part of the state (Pennsylvania for that matter) is steeped in German history. Going along with that, there were tons of collectibles from Germany available for purchase – ornaments, nutcrackers, etc. Check out those woodworking skills!
The market also featured a few artisan demonstrations. Unfortunately, we didn’t have an opportunity to check out the glass blowing demonstration, but we did catch some of the ice carving demos. Give someone a chainsaw and it’s amazing what he/she can do.
This little road trip was so much fun! Jessie and I toured a slice of American history, we experienced Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem (one of the top holiday markets in the U.S., per Travel + Leisure!), and we spent some quality time together. I’d say that was a day well spent.
That’s it for this year’s holiday adventures, but no worries – I have lots of adventures and craftiness up my sleeve for the coming year.
Merry Christmas! Happy Holiday! Happy New Year! Happy Everything!