Clayton News Daily

Photo by Curt Yeomans: Area children will be able to have their pictures taken with Santa Claus, atop a 1952 Ford-Pirsh fire engine, on Dec. 3, at the Jonesboro Firehouse Museum and Community Center. 

Local children soon will be able to check out “Santa Claus” on one of his vintage rides, in Jonesboro.

The Jonesboro Firehouse Museum and Community Center is slated to host a “pictures with Santa” event, on Dec. 3, from 10 a.m., to 2 p.m. Families will be invited to bring their children — and their cameras — to the museum, located at 103 West Mill St., in Jonesboro.

They can have the youngsters’ photos taken for free, with Santa Claus on the firehouse’s 1952 Ford-Pirsh fire engine. It has already been decorated with gift-wrapped boxes and Christmas-themed stuffed animals.

“It’s just a good way for the local children to get their pictures with Santa,” said Katherine Smith, a city volunteer, who oversees functions at the museum. “Almost all of the children who come by here love the fire truck, and that’s why we got Santa to come do photos with the children for us ... It’s just a little something to give back to the community.”

Smith explained that although the museum will be hosting “Santa” that day, families will have to provide their own cameras to have the pictures taken. She added that city volunteers will take the photos for the families.

The museum volunteer said there will be different settings in which families can have their pictures taken with “Santa.” In addition to photos on the fire truck, there will also be settings that allow families to be gathered with Old Saint Nick around a fire place, and around a Christmas tree.

“Some children like to have their pictures taken with the [museum’s] Dalmatian statue, so we’ll have it set up [with the Dalmatian wearing a Santa hat] so they can do that as well,” Smith said.

She added that parents can get into the photographs as well, and children will be able to wear small fireman’s hats on the fire truck with Santa.

This will mark the first year that the museum has hosted a “Pictures with Santa” event. Smith explained that the idea for it came from the fire truck’s popularity with children, as well as a local “Santa” riding around town every year, in his outfit, and on a motorcycle. The museum will be decked out with several Christmas decorations.

“We’ll have some Christmas trees set up, so there will be a feeling that Christmas is here,” Smith said. “We’re excited about it.”

Call (770) 471-0036, for more information.