Blogs

They call this little town of Bethlehem “Christmas Town”, and with good reason. Theannual Christmas Town Festival, scheduled for December 3 and 4, celebrates its30^th birthday this year as one of New England’s favoritecelebrations. Thousands travel tothis small village in the Litchfield Hills every year to mail holiday cardswith a special Bethlehem greeting. The town’s historic Bellamy-Ferriday House opens to visitorsfor the occasion, and Bethlehem boasts a rare Christmas jewel, a museum-quality18^th century crèche on view in a vintage barn at the Abbey of Regina Laudis

30^th Anniversary Celebration

This year’s special birthday celebration starts on Friday night at 6 p.m. when Santaturns on the lights on the towering 75-foot tree on the village green, withfestive background music by the Region 14 choirs and bands, talented localgroups. On Saturday, the gaily- decorated quaint buildings around the greenwill brim with over 70 art and craft exhibitors and there will be good foodgalore. Strolling carolers andmusicians from the First Church Bell Choir will keep things lively, hayrideswill be offered in front of First Church and Santa will be waiting at thefirehouse to pose for pictures with young friends. Collectors can garner this year’s unique annual ChristmasTown pewter ornament, sold only during the Festival.

The Bethlehem post office will open for special hours during the festival, Fridayfrom 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The idea of mailing cards from Bethlehemdates to 1938, when a local Postmaster, the late Earl Johnson, realized thatpeople were coming to town just to mail their cards. He designed a “cachet,” a special rubber stamp featuring atree and lettering that said “From the Little Town of Bethlehem, Christmasgreetings.” New cachets have beenadded each year since. More than60 are now available and over 200,000 cards are now mailed each year from thissmall town post office.

Historic Home Tours

Bethlehem’s beautiful eighteenth century Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden also will openon Saturday, lavishly decorated for the holidays. Guides will be on hand to give tours and the family-friendlyprogram will include games, prizes and surprises for children. Special entertainment is planned by TheSweetest Key, an all-female a cappella group, with a concert at noon andcaroling from 1 to 2 pm. Refreshments and hot cider will be offered in the Visitor'sCenter.

Magnificent Crèche

Another eighteenth century treasure is the crèche housed in a barn on the 400-acre property of the Abbey of Regina Laudis. Therecently restored Neapolitan crèche is similar to the famous crèche in NewYork’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and came from the same donor, Loretta HinesHoward. It is a remarkablecreation containing 68 figures 14 to 16 inches high dressed in their originalelaborate costumes. Along with theHoly Family, the figures vividly portray children, women bearing gifts,merchants, peddlers, angels, the Three Kings, and peasants with their farmanimals. The Crèche is thought tohave belonged to Victor Amadeus the Second, King of Sardinia, and is believedto have been presented to him on the occasion of his coronation in 1720. It is open free to visitors daily from10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Christmas Town Festival will be held at the junction of Rte. 61 and Rte.132 in Bethlehem on Friday, December 3rd from 5 to10 p.m., and Saturday. Dec.4th, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Freeparking is available at the Bethlehem Fairgrounds on Route 61, where freeshuttle buses will take visitors to and from the Festival. For additional information, seewww.christmastownfestival.com or phone (203) 266-5557.