The Grinch called COVID-19 may be stealing 2020’s Christmas Parade and traditional Christmas Village and Tree Lighting, but it can’t keep the Christmas spirit from coming to Clayton. Town staff and volunteers have been as busy as elves working to plan alternative holiday activities that will bring the community together to celebrate the season in this era of social distancing.

Santa on a Fire Truck * Store Front Decorating * Small Business Saturday * Santa Calls * Santa's Workshop * Reindeer Hunt * A Proton Jones Christmas

 Santa is coming thru Downtown on a Fire Truck! 

Santa will make his way through downtown every Friday and Saturday in December, and he will travel in style – on a Clayton fire truck! Santa will ride down Main Street each Friday between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m., and each Saturday between 2:00 and 3:00 pm from December 4 through December 19. Bundle up the kids, put on your Santa hat, and head into town for some holiday fun.

Santa will be watching, so be sure that you are social distancing and spread out along the route to see him. He will leave Fire Station 1, take a right onto Robertson Street, turn right onto Main, and ride past Town Square and Horne Square. He'll then turn right onto Smith Street  and make a return trip down Second Street passed Town Hall and Town Square before heading back to Station 1 via Ellington and Horne Street.

 Storefront Decorating Contest

Take a stroll or a drive through town and check out the seasonal scenes in window displays at businesses throughout Downtown Clayton. Then go online to the Downtown Clayton Facebook page from November 23 - November 30 and cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award for best décor. Winners in the categories of Most Creative – Retail, Most Creative – Non-Retail (non-merchandise services), Most Traditional, and Best Restaurant and/or Café will be selected by a panel of community volunteers and will be featured online and announced at our virtual tree lighting.

 Small Business Saturday

The Clayton Downtown Development Association is hosting the national Small Business Saturday(s) beginning Saturday, November 28, through Saturday, December 19. Show your support for local small businesses by shopping small, all while giving the family a fun opportunity to go on a scavenger hunt. Shoppers will hunt for hidden items located in each business and post their finds online using the hashtag #ClaytonSBScavenger. Participants will then be entered to win one of three gift baskets full of goodies and gift cards from local businesses and can receive additional discounts and promotions.

 Santa Calls

The Big Man called us from the North Pole and has asked the Parks and Recreation Department to help patch calls from the North Pole to your home.

Calls will be made on Tuesday, December 8, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. and Thursday, December 10, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Registration for Santa Calls has ended for 2020. 

 Drive-Thru Santa's Workshop

UPDATE- Santa's Workshop is currently full, we encourage you to add your child to the waitlist in the case that any craft kits are not picked up. 

The Clayton Youth Council (CYC) is making gift-giving a little easier by hosting a Drive-Thru Santa's Workshop. They have prepared craft kits for children ages 3-12 to make at home. Santa will be making each craft on the Clayton Parks and Recreation Facebook page each evening at 6:30 p.m. from Saturday, December 12th - Friday, December 18th.

Pre-registration is required online by clicking here. Craft kit pick up will be at the Clayton Community Center on Saturday, December 12, between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. 

 Reindeer Hunt

Santa is getting ready for Christmas Eve and is trying to track down all his reindeer — Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen & Rudolph! They have been spotted all over town, in the parks, at the library, even hanging out at the police and fire station. See if you can track them all down and take a picture of each for a Christmas Surprise! Submit your pictures to ashearin@TownofClaytonNC.org or online to the Clayton Parks and Recreation Facebook page. 

Reindeer Hunt takes place November 30 - December 27

 A Proton Jones Christmas 

The Clayton Center is happy to invite Clayton's own Proton Jones back for another great night of Livestreamed music from our stage! This Christmas-themed concert is your chance to enjoy this unique and creative artist in your own homes.

Wednesday, December 23, 7:00 p.m.

Live on The Clayton Center's Youtube Channel