5 Ways to Celebrate Winter in the Valley This Month

These events will get you in the holiday spirit this December.

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Hats on, it’s time to head out! From music and theater that stir the holiday spirit, to markets where stocking stuffers support small business, to quiet hikes under a snowy sky, there’s so much worth bundling up for!

1. Pool Wildlife Sanctuary | Wildlands Conservancy

3701 Orchid Pl., Emmaus | 610.965.4397 | wildlandspa.org

Snug as it is to stay home in cold weather, diamond-bright winter days are perfect for a little life-affirming exercise in the great outdoors. Check out Pool Wildlife Sanctuary in Emmaus to trek through meadows and forests, tread the floodplains boardwalk and watch your breath puff into the chilly air.

2. A Christmas Carol | DeSales University

2755 Station Ave., Center Valley | 610.282.3192 | desales.edu

A timeless story well-suited to the season, Charles Dickens’s classic is a holiday staple and reliably well-performed by DeSales University’s Act 1 theatre company. For this haunting and heartwarming tale, count on a fresh take from some of the Valley’s most talented thespians. The show runs December 1 through 12.

3. Holiday Pops | Miller Symphony Hall

23 N. 6th St., Allentown | 610.432.6715 | millersymphonyhall.org

The brass booms and the strings sing on December 18 as Allentown Symphony Orchestra presents a concert to brighten our short winter days. From sing-along carols to Nutcracker classics, Miller Symphony Hall is the site of your newest holiday tradition, reverberating with life-giving music.

4. Winter Village | Historic Easton 

Centre Square, Easton | 610.250.6600 | exploreeastonpa.com

The vendor village in Easton’s Centre Square returned this year in November, and there’s still time to join in on the fun with music, activities and shopping out in the fresh air through December 19. Started to satisfy safety concerns, the open-air market is a festive opportunity to shop local and enjoy the historic downtown. 

5. Holiday Artisan Market | The Art Establishment 

945 Broadway, Fountain Hill | 610.807.9201 | theartestablishmentstudios.com

Bringing local artisans to show their most wonderful wares, The Art Establishment’s Holiday Artisan Market is in its seventh year and will run through December 23. It’s a place to find one-of-a-kind gifts for your shopping list—and perhaps a few goodies for you, too. Check out the unique art classes and workshops while you’re there!