The Shameful Reason Why I Would Visit Bethlehem Again

It wasn’t that I was looking for peace. But I did expect some kind of “wow” moment. Some kind of spiritual release or holy epiphany. After all, Jesus was my Saviour too. Instead there is only one reason I would go back to Bethlehem and it doesn’t have anything to do with witnessing the birthplace of Jesus.

Abraham Tours’ day trip to Bethlehem sounded fascinating. We had never been to Bethlehem on our previous trip in 2007 mainly because my mother-in-law is Israeli and, quite possibly, would not be allowed in to the West Bank. But we were going to do it. I was nervous and excited at the same time, as any new place does to me, especially one with a history as rich as Bethlehem.

The drive is not long and the border crossing into the Palestine Territories was very easy with no one stopping us. We picked up an Arabic tour guide and made our way to the first stop.

Unlike most tours our guide was very matter-of-fact. Every place he took us was not the possible Jesus-related site, but the actual one. Our first stop was supposedly where the shepherds saw the first star in the night sky proclaiming Jesus’ birth and where the angel came to them.

We got to see the field where they tended their sheep, complete with real-life authentic sheep. 

And also entered the cave where they supposedly lived. 

There was a beautiful church filled with people for Saturday Mass and they started singing Silent Night in German (I believe). It sounded heavenly, like a chorus of angels. I could almost close my eyes and imagine what it would have been like on that starry night.

After our visit to the field we were off to the birthplace of Jesus. The journey got mighty interesting as we climbed higher and higher into Bethlehem. At one stage our bus tried to climb the steepest road I have ever seen in my life… and failed. The foot was down hard on the pedal, the engine was roaring, but instead of moving forward we were stuck in one place and even sliding backwards slightly. The bus ended up reversing back and trying a different way.

Did you know Jesus was born in a cave? Contrary to the belief that he was born in a shed (stable)? Guess what has been built on top of the cave… a church, yep, you got it. And not just any church but a piece of history that is fought over by several factions so the church is amazingly split into 3 sections – Eastern Orthodox, Armenian and Catholic.

When you enter the Church you are first distracted by the beautiful gas lamps hanging from the ceiling and then drawn to a crowd. A long line of people waiting to enter the cave and witness the birthplace of Jesus. Thankfully our guide was very proactive and because of our children allowed us entry at the exit so we did not have to wait in line.

The exit is beautiful and we descended down the stairs in awe to be finally here. The room was crowded and hot. It was filled with devout individuals who were keen to kiss the sacred site. They seemed to be doing it in a sort of mass hysteria and a sense of a duty. Not that I can read their thoughts, but the religious fervor in their eyes was a big clue.

In the cave is a silver star dating back to the 1700’s provided by the French king. This was the surface that was receiving all the kisses. Mia didn’t quite understand what people were doing and simply pushed through the crowd to take a close look at the star. I sat there waiting for my divine anointing, but felt nothing. The place of Jesus’ birth was not at all what I imagined.

There was no more “away in a manager, no crib for a bed” Christmas carol. No hay and cute animals, just the stink of human body odour and heat from an overstuffed cavern.

The pictures on the wall were interesting to look at, but soon the heat and bodies got too much and we made our way out of the cavern.

The rest of the church was elegantly decorated according to the different denominations. Our guide walked us through some of the history and information about the area before we departed the Church into the midday sun. Interestingly one of the nearby caves, also below the church, is thought to be the location with King Herod disposed of the bodies of infants he apparently killed in the search for the messiah. It also happens to be the same cave that the bible was painstakingly translated over a period of 37 years. Now that’s a tough job.

We walked only a little while before escaping into a typical “best priced” shop in the town. Clearly a kickback to the tour guide, but nevertheless they were very hospitable offering us bread and a drink on entry and while we shopped. I found the perfect gift for my mother who collects Christmas ornaments. Where else to get the best Christmas ornament in the world than in the birthplace of Christmas? Beautiful hand-carved olive-tree wooden ornaments.

After this stop we took a walk to the Milk Grotto. I had never heard of this place before, however legend has it that a drop of Mary’s breast milk that she was feeding Jesus with fell to the floor and turned the black stone cave to white.

There wasn’t much to see, but it was an interesting story.

Finally we all got back to our bus for the final stop near the West Bank border for Palestinian wall art. While our tour group was snapping pictures of the intricately decorated wall, with juxtaposing messages of peace and hatred, we also stopped nearby in a small shop for ice cream and drinks. The two ice creams I brought cost 2NIS (AUD$0.60). These same two ice creams in the Old City in Jerusalem cost me 10NIS (AUD$3.00)! I was in shock! How could one city only minutes from another be so much cheaper? We all went back for seconds.

And while I certainly did not intend to be in awe of Bethlehem because of its ice cream prices we did agree that next time we wanted ice cream we would drive to Bethlehem for it. Shameful, isn’t it?

Our bus returned us to Abraham Hostel where we spent the evening checking out the Shouq (market) and dreaming about cheap ice cream in Bethlehem. 

Christmas Eve in Bethlehem: Everything You Need To Know For This Once In A Lifetime Experience

There are some things in life that just sound right. Peanut butter and jelly. Sunlounge and cocktails. Christmas and Bethlehem.  And who could resist celebrating Christmas Eve where it all began some 2000 years ago. A small, unassuming town where a baby was born in an animal feeding trough that is still revered and celebrated today. The sacred location at the very foundation of Christianity. There’s nowhere else that comes close to being as Christmassy as this. 

Fresco of Jesus’ birth in the chapel at The Shepherd’s Field in Bethlehem.

Going Solo

In December 2013 I took a solo trip to Israel to visit family. And while there, Christmas came around. It might be surprising for Westerners, but Christmas isn’t a particular big deal in the Holy Land, especially compared to countries like Germany, UK, USA and Australia. It’s largely a non-event here since the majority of the population is Jewish, Muslim or Secular. Sure, there are religious pilgrimages but if you visited the shopping mall or walked down the street you wouldn’t see many decorations and ornaments. 

Whoops, found some rare decorations in Jerusalem.

Our good friends, Oren and Cassie from 42nd Class, were in Israel at the same time so we caught up and headed to Jerusalem for a few days. I stayed at Abraham Hostel again. This was my first solo trip since my kids were born so the new experience of living out of a backpack took a little getting used to. It meant luggage was much lighter and I could cram a lot more into each day. Logistically things were easier, but I missed their smiles, and joy they brought every day. Oh, and I missed Erin too! :) I wrote more about the experience at the time.

Christmas Eve Tour

Abraham Tours were running a special Bethlehem tour just for Christmas Eve. It covered some of the places we visited on our tour with them previously, plus included dinner in Manger Square in Bethlehem. Tickets were 305 NIS (about US$75). Unfortunately the tour was already full by the time I enquired so I researched a few alternative options and found a winner.

Getting From Jerusalem To Bethlehem

You can get to Bethlehem by less popular methods such as walking (3+ hours) or riding a bike (1+ hour). But these aren’t particular conducive to a memorable Christmas Eve (at least in a good way). Keep in mind December in Israel can get pretty chilly. 

I chose the public bus which cost 7.30 NIS (about US$2). Bargain! Bus 21 left from the Arab bus station near the Damascus Gate of Jerusalem’s Old City. It was surprisingly easy to find - refer to this Google Map:

Typically buses run from 6am to 7pm, but around Christmas they operate extended hours. On Christmas Eve 2013, they were running until 9pm. There’s no formal schedule, but the buses depart regularly. I only waited about 10 minutes. The whole trip typically takes 30 minutes, but can be up to 45 minutes depending on the number of stops and traffic. Bus 21 took passengers through the border crossing with the final stop about 1 kilometre from Manger Square (Bab Zkaqintersection on the Jerusalem–Bethlehem road).

Alternatively, Bus 24 will take you to the border checkpoint (costs 5.50 NIS), and then you have to catch a local taxi to the centre of town (about 25 NIS) or walk (3km).

You should bring your passport, however mine wasn’t checked on the way in or out. Locals tell me this is quite unusual, but perhaps security procedures were more relaxed to accommodate the 10,000+ international visitors for Christmas Eve. Israeli security officers are more thorough when leaving Palestinian territory, but it can vary depending on the specific border crossing. 

Giant Christmas tree in Manger Square, Bethlehem.

On Christmas Eve there were several road closures to accommodate the special events around Manger Square and I had the option to walk the rest of the way or find a taxi. I opted for the taxi which cost around 15 NIS (US$4). Just make sure you agree on a fixed price in advance. It would typically be cheaper other times of the year.

If you’re thinking of driving to Bethlehem, then check with your car hire company they allow the car to be taken into the West Bank (most Israeli hire companies won’t allow it). However, if you find a car in East Jerusalem then it’s likely you’ll be ok. But as far as budget and convenience, the bus was the best option.

Timing

There are Christmas religious celebrations at all times of the day in Bethlehem. Check out the official Bethlehem Visitors Information Centre website for more up-to-date info. I left Jerusalem around 6pm and had plans to stay for the midnight mass. However, I ended up returning early around 11pm. But if you have time, I’d recommend that you spend the afternoon there and take in some of the other sites like: Shepherd’s Fields, Milk Grotto and Church of the Nativity.

Strolling the backstreets of Bethlehem to stay warm.

Mr President - The Big Dampener!

When I arrived at Manger Square I was expecting to be able to get into Church of the Nativity, but it was off-limits to visitors. It turned out that the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, was attending the Christmas Eve midnight mass in the Church along with senior officials and foreign dignitaries. Soldiers had locked down the entire city since mid afternoon so many of the popular tourists sites were not accessible. There was no prior warning for apparent security reasons, so I just rolled with it and hung out in Manger Square in front of the church where a concert was being held.

Christmas concert in Manger Square.

The Concert

Children singing Christmas carols is always cute, and there were acts from all over the world bringing the Christmas cheer. And best of all, the concert was free! I’ve been to many musical performances all over the world, and while I won’t say the quality of the performance was anything to rave about, the location and atmosphere was unbeatable. Oh, and did I mention it was free?

Here’s a video created by Oren who does a great job describing what Christmas in Bethlehem is like (keep an eye out for 1:08 where I made a quick appearance).

Behind the scenes of that video.

Chill Out, Dude!

One thing I underestimated was the weather. Although it was a clear night, the temperature dropped to around 6°C during the night (that's 42°F). I was wearing a jacket with a t-shirt underneath and I was freezing. So bring a few layers of clothing, including a super-warm jumper. I spent a lot of the night slinking from one heated souvenir shop to another.

Food

There were food vendors scattered around the concert area, and a line of restaurants on the southern end of the square. I enjoyed a traditional meal which set me back around US$15. This included an entre, main course, drink and dessert. Pretty reasonable considering it was so busy.

Hot street food vendor.

Getting Back to Jerusalem

Some of the group on the Abraham Tours trip decided to head back to Jerusalem early so I tagged along with them and luckily there was 1 spare spot on the bus. Getting out of town was a bit faster and at the border checkpoint the bus was just waved through. But as I mentioned earlier, it’s safest to bring your passport along.

Other important things to know about Bethlehem

• Most people in understand and speak English, so communication is never a problem.
• The accepted currency is New Israeli Shekels (NIS) which you use in Israeli territory as well.
• Bethlehem is very safe. You should use common sense like you would in any other city around the world, but the vast majority of residents are warm and inviting.
• Shopping prices are generally much cheaper compared to Israel since businesses in the West Bank don’t pay the same tax.
• If you’re visiting sacred sites, it’s smart to wear modest clothing (cover shoulders, knees and chest, no high heeled shoes).

The Final Word

It sounds like the perfect scene for Christmas Eve… listening to joyful Christmas carols in the centre of Bethlehem in the Holy Land, where the first Christmas took place. I have to admit it was a little like our first impression of The Church of the Nativity, lacking a grand “wow” moment. But at the same time, the experience was memorable and I’m glad I’ve done it. Would it be something I’d go back to do again? Probably not, once is enough.

Now for the tough question, since Bethlehem has been covered, where else in the world could I possibly want to celebrate Christmas?