BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Tick, tock — Christmas is coming!
With just six weeks until the big day, the Lehigh Valley already is sparkling with twinkling lights, festive markets and family traditions — old and new.
Whether you prefer to ride through glowing displays, stroll downtowns or craft holiday memories inside, there’s a merry mix of experiences in the region.
Here are some of the best ways to celebrate Christmas this year.
Carriage Rides through Historic Bethlehem
You can take a horse-drawn carriage ride through Bethlehem’s twinkling historic district, and choose from elegant White Vis-à-Vis or Victorian couples carriages, or hop aboard Santa’s sleigh.
Reservations are required, and tickets start at $29 per person for sleigh rides and $93 for private rides.
The rides run every 20 minutes from 3 to 9 p.m. daily through Jan. 3.
To reserve a spot, visit the Bethlehem Carriage Company website.
Christkindlmarkt
Now in its 33rd year, ArtsQuest's beloved holiday market returns with hundreds of vendors selling handmade gifts from artisans, plus German food and drinks, and live music.
This year's new Winter Wonderland will transform the Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks lawn — formerly the site of a holiday-season ice-skating rink — into an expanded holiday village.
The village has new attractions such as a "smart" Christmas tree, rentable heated igloos and a St. Nicholas Haus — an area redesigned with Bavarian-inspired décor.
It opens Friday, Nov. 14, and runs Thursdays through Sundays through Dec. 21.
It opens Friday, Nov. 14, and runs on Thursdays through Sundays through Sunday, Dec. 21.
Hours are: Free Friday admission from 5 to 8 p.m., then paid admission 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Advance tickets, at $12 per person (free for ages 5 and younger) on Thursdays and Fridays and $14.50 for Saturdays and Sundays, are available on the Artsquest website.
Info: Check out the Christkindlmarkt website.
Trees of Historic Bethlehem: Best of the Past 20 Years
The self-guided tour lets visitors stroll through 28 themed trees inspired by art, history and culture.
This year’s edition revisits fan-favorite designs from the past two decades.
The tour starts at the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts (427 N. New St.), daily Friday, Nov. 14-Monday, Jan. 12.
Tickets, which include entrance to both exhibitions, are $25 for adults, $23 for teachers and military members and $14 for ages 4 and older. Ages 3 and younger are admitted free.
For tickets, visit the Christmas Tree tour page.
Christmas City Village (Weihnachtsmarkt)
The Christmas City Village, in the Sun Inn Courtyard (564 Main St., Bethlehem) features more than 20 wooden vendor huts and a Christmas City Spirits beverage tent and food truck from Tavern at the Sun.
The free-entry market is open from noon to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays. It runs from Friday, Nov. 14, through Sunday, Dec. 21.
Santa Claus will be on-site from 1-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
Visitors also can enjoy cocktails from Christmas City Spirits, food from the Tavern at the Sun Inn and live music, and meet Santa on Saturdays and Sundays.
To learn more, visit the Sun Inn's events page.
Christmas City Stroll, motorcoach ride
Led by a costumed guide dressed in 18th-century Colonial attire, the Christmas City Stroll invites you to step back in time as you explore Bethlehem’s landmarks.
Along the way, you’ll visit the 1741 Gemeinhaus — the oldest surviving building in Bethlehem — the elegant Central Moravian Church, built in the early 1800s, and the Colonial Industrial Quarter, recognized as the country's first industrial center and home to more than 50 bustling trades during the mid-1700s.
Tickets to the tour cost $20 for adults, $18 for teachers and military, and $12 for children.
The tour leaves from the Groundie House Welcome Center at 501 Main St.
It will run daily from Friday, Nov. 14, to Jan. 4.
If you’d rather enjoy the sights from the warmth and comfort of indoors, the Bethlehem by Night Motorcoach Tour offers another way to experience the holiday season.
You can sit back aboard a coach bus as a guide leads you past the city’s illuminated landmarks, sharing stories and insights about Bethlehem’s Moravian heritage.
The motorcoach tour runs on select nights starting Friday, Nov. 29, through Wednesday, Dec. 31.
Tickets are $25 for adults, $23 for teachers/military members, and $20 for children.
For information on the tours, visit the Historic Bethlehem Museum & Sites Christmas City page.
Central Moravian Christmas Putz
A beloved Christmas City tradition, the Central Moravian Christmas Putz tells the Nativity story through handcrafted figurines and miniature landscapes.
“Putz” comes from the German word putzen, meaning “to decorate,” and the display is filled with tiny details of the Moravians' Christmas story.
Guests are guided through scenes illuminated with music and narration.
It will be open Nov. 28-Dec. 31.
Hours are 1–7 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Saturdays and 1–5 p.m. Sundays. It will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. after Christmas Day.
The display is inside the Christian Education Building, 40 W. Church St.
No tickets needed for the Putz, but a freewill offering will be accepted.
Winter Light Spectacular
More than 1.2 million lights will transform Lehigh Valley Zoo into a glowing wonderland, complete with holiday music, Santa visits and festive food and drinks.
There also are multiple fire pits, live appearances by popular Disney characters such as Elsa, Anna, Ariel, Belle, Cinderella and Rapunzel, plus visits and photos with Santa.
The event, now in its 12th year, serves as the zoo's annual fundraiser.
Hours will be:
- 5-9 p.m. Fridays and Sundays, and 5-10 p.m. Saturdays through Nov. 30
- 5-9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday Dec. 3-4 and Dec. 10-11 and Monday and Tuesday Dec. 15 and 16
- 5-10 p.m. Fridays through Sundays, Dec. 12-Jan. 3 and Mondays through Thursdays through Dec. 30.
- It won't be held on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
Tickets start at $16 for adults and $14 for children (VIP experiences are also available).
For tickets and download a map, visit the zoo's webpage.
Illumination Holiday Lights
Visitors can walk through dazzling lights — 1.5 million in total — that include tunnels and giant animated displays synced to holiday music inside the Iron Pigs' annual holiday event.
Presented by Service Electric, this year's calendar features a Santa Night on Dec. 5 with the Coca-Cola Christmas Truck, a “Fill Santa’s Sleigh” toy drive on Dec. 13 to benefit IronPigs Charities, a cozy pajama party with goat guests on Dec. 19, and a family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration capped with fireworks on Dec. 31.
Theme-nights will include Lights and Leashes, which will return Nov. 16, Dec. 3, Dec. 17 and Dec. 30.
This year's new additions include carousel rides and hayrides with Mrs. Claus, curling lanes, photo ops with the Grinch and Cousin Eddie, expanded selfie stations and food menus, a new heating tent and a larger Santa's Polar Express train.
Illumination will run nightly for 41 dates. Unless noted, hours will be 6-9 p.m:
- Nov. 14-16, 21-23, 26, 28-29 (5-9 p.m.) and 30.
- Dec. 2-7; 6, 9-12, 13 and 20 (5-9 p.m.), 21-30 and 30 (5-8 p.m.)
- Jan. 2-3
To buy tickets, visit the Illumination website.
Colorful Christmas at Crayola Experience
For a burst of holiday color, visit Crayola Experience (30 Centre Square, Easton) during the holiday season.
Kids can meet Santa Crayon, create one-of-a-kind holiday crafts, and explore hands-on art activities across four floors.
Activities include decorating ornaments, designing custom crayons, festive photo ops, themed scavenger hunts, a singing Christmas tree and a painting class with Edwin the Snowman.
It will be open daily from Nov. 22 to Jan. 5.
To buy tickets, visit Crayola Experience's event page.
Lights in the Parkway
A Lehigh Valley holiday tradition, Lights in the Parkway invites families to experience a 1.5-mile drive through animated displays, themed tunnels and whimsical holiday displays.
You can stay warm in your vehicle as you pass through millions of twinkling lights synchronized to Christmas tunes.
The trip ends at Santa's Village, where families can meet Santa, shop for souvenirs and buy holiday treats.
The event also will celebrate other holiday traditions, including Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and Three Kings Day.
The Move It Mondays series also will return, where visitors can walk, bike or stroll through the displays.
The parkway will be closed to vehicles Dec. 1, Dec. 8, Dec. 15, Dec. 22, Dec. 29, Jan. 5 and Jan. 6 (an additional walking day on Tuesday).
It will be open 5:30–10 p.m. Nov. 28 through Jan. 6.
Tickets must be purchased in advance on the City of Allentown's website.
Peace Candle Lighting and Small Business Saturday
Easton’s Peace Candle Lighting, established in 1951, marks the official start of the city’s holiday season.
This year, it will take place at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 29.
Thousands are expected to gather in Centre Square to watch as the 106-foot Peace Candle — symbolizing hope and goodwill — is illuminated.
The event will feature live music, holiday performances and community festivities.
It will be preceded by Small Business Saturday, when downtown shops and restaurants on Centre Square, Northampton and Third streets offer special deals on shopping, food and drinks.
To learn more, visit the city's Peace Candle page.
