Tucked away in a corner of town is a small stable.

Just a short drive from Marble Falls, is the town of Bethlehem - just east of the square in Burnet. This annual holiday tradition, presented by the First Baptist Church of Burnet since 1993, is once again delighting people from far and wide, and reminding us of the true meaning of Christmas.

The town of Bethlehem has been meticulously recreated to show what things were like at the time of the Christ's birth. Once you enter the ancient city, you'll see a shepherd's camp complete with a camp fire, tent, and live sheep. Further into town you'll find many interesting demonstrations including a blacksmith, a candlemaker, pottery being fired, rope being wound, street merchants selling produce, and much more. Roman soldiers patrol the streets and can

Roman soldiers patrol the streets of Bethlehem.

be seen hauling miscreants to the Bethlehem town jail. There is a synagogue, an inn (with no vacancies - just ask them), and a small stable in a cave.

As you wander around the town, you'll hear talk from the shepherds about angels and the birth of someone special. The shepherds will point you in the right direction. In a back corner of the town, you'll find a cave that is being used as a stable. Sitting in the hay among the animals, you'll find Joseph, Mary, and the Baby Jesus. Over the stable is a large star, shining brightly over the live nativity scene.

The First Baptist Church of Burnet has done a tremendous job of building the town and playing the parts of

Sheep, camels, donkeys, and people can be seen on the streets of Bethlehem

the town's occupants. It is truly an impressive undertaking and more than worth the short drive to Burnet. Main Street Bethlehem will be open the first two weekends of December from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, just off the square in Burnet. If you've never seen Main Street Bethlehem, make it a part of your Christmas season this year. If you've been before, make it a tradition by going again this year. It will remind you why we celebrate Christmas.

One of our readers, John Dvoracek, took a bunch of nice photos and was kind enough to allow us to provide this link to their page: Click Here for the Photos