©Flash90
November 7, 2025
After two years without festivities, the municipality of Bethlehem has declared that this year the popular animations and traditions that surround the religious Christmas celebrations will take place.
Thanks to a ceasefire that seems to be holding in Gaza, the mayor of Bethlehem, Maher Canawati, announced on Tuesday, November 4, that the traditional lighting of the city's Christmas tree would be held on December 6.
In a video recorded in English, the mayor invites: "Join us in celebrating hope, praying for peace and sharing with the world the indestructible message of Bethlehem: light is stronger than darkness and love is stronger than fear”.
Since October 7, no heart has really been celebrating. In 2023, the local authorities, in consultation with the Churches of Jerusalem, decided to cancel the festivities surrounding the religious celebrations of Christmas. The churches justified this in a statement saying it was a way "for Christians, to be in solidarity with all those who suffer from the war".
Today Maher Canawati regrets that this decision was then interpreted as a "cancellation" of Christmas, and he says that even "in moments of pain and even if Gaza is bleeding, the light has not been extinguished thanks to the spirit of Bethlehem".
Beginning of a Return to Normal
This year, popular traditions will be back. In addition to lighting the Christmas tree, there will be a Christmas market organized from December 12 to 14, as well as an "International Night" on December 19, where diplomatic missions from various countries will be invited to share their Christmas traditions, according to what was explained to the municipality. The Scout Parade is also scheduled to take place on December 24 and January 6, this time with music.
The birthplace of Jesus is one of the communities in the occupied West Bank most affected by the October 7 aftermath. The absence of tourists, coupled with the cancellation of work permits in Israel, and the bankruptcy of the Palestinian Authority, have hurt a population where unemployment now stands at 60%, according to the municipality.
Bethlehemites hope that this beginning of a return to normalcy will convince tourists and pilgrims to return. A few groups and individual visitors have already announced themselves for Christmas, but the hotels in Bethlehem, Beit Sahour and Beit Jala remain mostly empty.
