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Christkindlmarkt Drawing Guests from Near and Far

Event’s Last Weekend Taking Place This Thursday-Sunday

By Merry Sue Baum

For nearly a quarter-century, Christkindlmarkt has been touching the lives of young and old, with 60,000 people annually visiting the holiday market during the holiday season. Whether it’s the smile on a mother’s face as her son meets St. Nicholas for the very first time, or the look of wonder on a child’s face as she watches the ice carvers working their magic on a block of ice, the event evokes the spirit of the holidays in all of us.

This year’s Christkindlmarkt has drawn a near-record number of attendees, with people visiting from up and down the East Coast. Here’s what a few of our guests this year had to say about why the event is so special to them:

Shirley Slonaker and Claire Eng – A Relative Outing

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Shirley Slonaker & Claire Eng

Visiting from Maryland, Shirley Slonaker and her husband, Mick, joined their relatives, Claire and Jack Eng, for a day of shopping after Thanksgiving.

“Christkindlmarkt itself is very pretty, and the area around it is so interesting,” Shirley says. “I’m struck by all of the old structures and the skeletons of the old buildings. It’s wonderful how the history of the town has been preserved.”

As for the shopping, both Shirley and Claire agree that the variety and craftsmanship of Christkindlmarkt’s 100-plus artisans is outstanding.

“The prices are fair, too,” Claire says. “You can see that these artisans take great pride in what they do.”

Marveling at the Hoover Mason Trestle and the other attractions at SteelStacks, the quartet decides to check out other areas of the campus, noting there’s so much to enjoy.

“We’ll definitely come back in the spring and explore more of Bethlehem,” Shirley says.

Mary and Walter Wimer – An Anniversary to Remember

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Mary & Walter Wimer

Mary and Walter Wimer wanted to spend their 25th wedding anniversary “someplace Christmassy,” so they decided to visit the Christmas City this year. Following a five-hour drive, the Pittsburgh couple spent two wonderful days taking in all Bethlehem has to offer including Main Street shopping, the Bethlehem by Night bus tour, local restaurants and Christkindlmarkt.

“We loved all of it,” Mary says. “The Christmas market is just wonderful. There are so many unique things; I’d love one of everything.”

Ahmad Jackson – A Taste of Christmas

For Ahmad Jackson of Freehold, N.J., there’s a joy in sampling Christkindlmarkt’s food, like the popular dips offered by one of the vendors.

“These are yummy,” he says. “I might just have to get myself some.”

After hearing from a co-worker about all the treasures Christkindlmarkt has to offer, Ahmad and his wife, Arlene Franz, decided it was time to make the trip.

“It beautiful,” Arlene says. “The things you see here are unique. You know whatever you buy, someone will ask you, ‘Where’d you get that.’ We’ll definitely be back next year.”

Nancy Young – A Day Out with Friends

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Nancy Young “A Day Out with Friends”

Sporting a new hat that she bought, Cari Gearhart of Ambler and her mother, ArtsQuest Member Nancy Young, went on a day-long, post-Thanksgiving outing with their friends, Ana and Mark Brown of Horsham. The group began by having brunch at Hotel Bethlehem and stopped to pick up gifts in the hotel’s boutique. Then, it was off to Christkindlmarkt and a walk along the Hoover Mason Trestle.

“My husband, my father and my father-in-law all worked at Bethlehem Steel,” says Nancy. “The blast furnaces and the trestle are truly monuments to the city’s history.”

The Browns, who are both retired teachers, described the SouthSide campus in just two words – “Totally awesome” – and now the quartet plans to make a Christmas visit to the Christmas City an annual outing.

Christkindlmarkt’s final weekend is this Thursday-Sunday, Dec. 15-18. Make sure you stop by and pick up your unique, handmade gifts for the loved ones on your list!