Since 1938, thousands have made the pilgrimage to Bethlehem, Connecticut, to mail their holiday cards. Bring your stack to the post office for a special stamp (December 1-30, 2018) and then savor the area’s other old-fashioned pleasures all winter long.
Get your cards postmarked at the Bethlehem Post Office and then head to The Abbey of Regina Laudis, which displays an exquisite 18th-century Neapolitan crèche. The Abbey was founded in 1947 and has been the subject of films and television specials.
The first two weekends in December, get into the holiday spirit, literally, with a trip to Bethlehem Vineyards. The labels on their wines, such as Christmas Town Red or Cayuga White, depict local artwork, artists and themes that promote the town's people, heritage and designation as the “Christmas Town.”
Get the whole family into the holiday spirit. You can find cut-your-own Christmas tree, or buy one freshly cut, wrapped and ready to go, at local family farms throughout the Litchfield Hills. Not to mention tractor rides, hot chocolate, holiday shops and more. In Bethlehem, stop by Uncle Frank’s Tree Farm. Pack a picnic lunch and make a day of it. Then, spend the night in a nearby inn or bed & breakfast.
This Bethlehem Connecticut landmark house and garden property, The Bellamy-Ferriday House, really gets into the Christmas spirit, with holiday decorations, events, wreath-making workshops and more.