By J.R. Tidwell / Editor

With Christmas inching closer and closer, multiple businesses around Chilton County are putting together seasonal events to spread some holiday cheer.

While having a child’s picture taken with Santa is a popular tradition during Christmas, Tractor Supply Company in Clanton is putting a different spin on the activity.

This Saturday, Dec. 15, Tractor Supply is inviting owners to bring their pets to the store from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m., so they can have photos of their furry friends taken with Mr. Claus.

Team lead Morgan Bradberry is helping to organize the event.

“We are going to have Santa Claus here,” she said. “He is going to take pictures with the pets, whoever brings them in. It is free. We will have a photographer here who will take pictures from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.”

Bradberry said pictures taken during the event will be emailed to the pet owners instead of being printed out on the spot.

“We are also going to have a small animal swap out front,” she said. “If everyone shows up, we will have rabbits and chickens. The Humane Society of Chilton County will be here and Paws Crossed rescue. We have invited a few others.”

There will be a second photo op for pets brought to the store that day as well.

“We will have a unicorn here,” Bradberry said. “A lady is bringing her mini horse that she dresses up as a unicorn and a goat dressed up as a fairy. She will take pictures with them and charge a $5 fee.”

Bradberry said Tractor Supply held a similar event last year, but they are hoping to draw a better turnout this time around.

There is also no restriction on what pets are brought for the event.

“We are a close-knit community here, and we thought this would be a good idea,” she said. “We invite all animals to come out: dogs, cats, horses, bearded dragons, hedgehogs; whatever you have, bring them out and we will take pictures of them.”

Tractor Supply hopes to continue this event in the future, and the store will be hosting similar events in the future as well.

“In the spring we will do pictures with the Easter Bunny,” Bradberry said.