How We Became The Christmas
City
Bethlehem Pennsylvania was founded On Christmas Eve in 1741 by Count Von
Zinzendorf a Moravian.
We are the home of the Bach Choir, The Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Lehigh
University, the "Star Of Bethlehem" and Sparkel and Glissen.
ESTABLISHMENT OF BETHLEHEM - THE CHRISTMAS CITY *
December 1937 was the first big Christmas in Bethlehem, bigger than anything we
have today. The Chamber of Commerce organized it. Vernon Melhado, head of the
Chamber of Commerce, stated "Why not make Bethlehem - named at Christmas - the
Christmas City for the entire country. Bethlehem did not create Christmas, but
Christmas created Bethlehem."
12/3/37 - In order to promote Bethlehem as the Christmas City of the United
States, letters were sent to 2,500 Chambers of Commerce telling the story of
what the city was doing to make Bethlehem the Christmas City. The letter asked
that these 2,500 Chambers publicize this act in their local papers and suggested
that the residents send their Christmas Cards to Bethlehem to receive the stamp
of the Christmas City.
12/16/37 - 1,788 replies from the chamber attest to the fact that Bethlehem has
been advertised in the countless newspapers and magazines in the "Christmas City
of the U.S." Over 185,000 pieces of mail were handled.
* Excerpts from a lecture given by the curator of the Moravian archives in
Bethlehem.
