Georgia Magazine - December 2019 - 30

AMBER LANIER NAGLE

Around GEORGIA

In Bethlehem, "The Little Town Under the Star," the mail stamp features an image
of the wise men and the phrase "Christmas Greetings from Bethlehem."

Bridges, town clerk. "Moore suggested naming it
Bethlehem after the Bethlehem First United Methodist Church, a church that's been here since the late
1700s."
The city's tagline reads, "The Little Town Under
the Star." Street names reinforce the town's theme:
Manger, David and Mary avenues; Joseph, Shepherd
and Angel streets; and Holly Lane. Indeed, the one

o ra b l e me
Honces with Cntions: A few other
h r i s tm a s
pla
s y n a me s
Though not necessarily named for Christmas, here are a few other places
in Georgia with holiday-ish names. Are there others? Let us know.
* Jolly is an unincorporated community in Pike County near Zebulon
named for the "jolliness" of its original settlers.
* Holly Springs, a city between Canton and Woodstock in Cherokee
County, was named in 1906 for a stand of holly trees.
* Dasher, a city in Lowndes County south of Valdosta, was named for one
of its early settlers, O.P. Dasher.
* Mistletoe Corners is an unincorporated community in Columbia County.
* Garland is a community in Lumpkin County.
* Jesus Junction, in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, showcases three
churches at the intersection of Peachtree Road, East Wesley Road and
West Wesley Road.
* Angel Falls is a lovely cascading waterfall in Rabun County, near Clayton.
* Emanuel County in Southeast Georgia was named to honor former
Gov. David Emanuel.
* St. Marys is a coastal town in Camden County that borders the Kings Bay
Naval Submarine Base.

Georgia Magazine

December 2019

Calvin Mansfield, Bethlehem postmaster, holds a piece of
mail stamped by one of the city's visitors.

traffic light in the town dangles above the intersection of Christmas Avenue and Star Street.
For many locals and visitors, Christmas isn't Christmas
without witnessing the town's re-enactment of Jesus' birth more
than 2,000 years ago.
"Our live Nativity scene is a major draw in December,"
Bridges says. "A lot of people turn out to see one of the two Nativity performances. This year, the performances will be Sunday,
Dec. 22, and Monday, Dec. 23-both at 7:30 p.m. under the star."
She describes the setting. Beneath a bright star perched 65
feet in the air, locals dressed in costumes gather around a manger in the town's square. Though adults portray figures such
as Mary, Joseph and the wise men, enthusiastic children dress
as angels with white robes, wings and halos. Presented by the
Bethlehem First United Methodist Church for more than
50 years, the Nativity comes alive as a preacher narrates and
reads Scriptures. The church choir sings Christmas carols in
between readings, and everyone enjoys refreshments afterward.
As is the case in Santa Claus, out-of-towners drive from all
over the Peach State to have their Christmas cards stamped with
the Bethlehem postmark and a special "Christmas Greetings
from Bethlehem" ink stamp, which is available for customers
to use. Bridges says that Bethlehem's post office stamped more
than 120,000 letters and cards during the 2018 holiday season.
"Watching the live Nativity scene, having cards stamped
with the Bethlehem postmark or just taking in our Christmas
lights-it's all about traditions and making the holidays memorable for families," Bridges says. "Our little town is special, and
we welcome everyone to come and see for themselves."
Amber Lanier Nagle is a freelance writer who lives in
Adairsville.

Georgia Magazine - December 2019

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