Holiday tradition encourages the public to focus on community and spirit of Christmas

Bethlehem, PA (December 23, 2024 ) – Hotel Bethlehem’s iconic red rooftop sign will once again go partially dark on Christmas Eve. “We’re turning off the word ‘hotel’ so that only the word ‘Bethlehem’ shines on this special night. This helps us focus on the reason for the season, the miracle that occurred in the original Bethlehem more than 2,000 years ago,” said Historic Hotel Bethlehem Managing Partner Bruce Haines.

This is a tradition that goes back more than 50 years. Some former hotel employees say it may have started as early as 1960. Locals note that it paused sometime in the late ‘70s. “Community member Debbie Helms told me about the tradition in 2018 and I just thought it was a wonderful idea. It honors Bethlehem’s heritage and history,” says Bruce Haines Managing Partner.

Historic Hotel Bethlehem is located on the site of Bethlehem’s first house. It’s where, on Christmas Eve in 1741, Count Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf and other Moravian settlers named Bethlehem in honor of the place where Jesus was born.

The word “Hotel” will remain dark through Christmas night.

About Historic Hotel Bethlehem

Historic Hotel Bethlehem, located adjacent to the newest US UNESCO World Heritage Site in the heart of Historic Moravian Bethlehem, is celebrating over 100 years as a community hotel. Guests enjoy the luxury historic destination hotel’s original 1922 elegance in its 125 guest rooms and 9 new extended stay suites along with the grandeur of the lobby, two distinct restaurants, two elegant ballrooms and seven meeting rooms. The hotel also offers an Executive Conference Center, Ladies Boutique Shoppe, Steel Magnolia Spa & Salon, Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop, and the Hotel B Ice Cream Parlor serving Penn State Creamery ice Cream. The hotel is affiliated with Historic Hotels of America, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. USA Today named Historic Hotel Bethlehem the ”#1 Best Historic Hotel in the Nation” in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. For more information visit hotelbethlehem.com.