A number of places across the country have the same evocative name, but only the small community of Bethlehem in the Litchfield Hills of western Connecticut calls itself ‘‘The Christmas Town.’’ It began in 1938 when postmaster Earl Johnson designed a cancellation stamp or cachet with the image of a star-topped Christmas tree and the inscription ‘‘From the Little Town of Bethlehem Christmas Greetings’’ and used it to cancel mail during the holidays.The idea caught on and every Christmas since then Bethlehem has had both a new cachet designed by a local resident and more people wanting to use it. In the six weeks before Christmas the Post Office processes some 175,000 pieces of mail. To facilitate mailing, tables are set up in the lobby with cachet stamps available for all 69 designs, including a snowman, ornaments, snow flakes, town scenes, and a menorah. Cards and letters with correct postage can also be mailed in an envelope to: Postmaster, Bethlehem, CT 0675. Unless a particular design is requested, they will be canceled with this year’s postmark.

Bethlehem Post Office, 34 East St., 203-266-7910. Use of Christmas cachet stamps is free. Bethlehem Christmas Town Festival Dec. 7-8.