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By Carey Reeder | Staff Writer

The Chilton County Chamber of Commerce announced its winners of its Christmas window display contest on Dec. 19, and some familiar storefronts took home first place. All four businesses who won the Chilton Chamber’s fall decorating contest as well.

Cahaba Medical Care won the town of Maplesville’s contest with their display inside the office in the windows. The words “O Holy Night” were painted onto the windows above the displays to brighten the Christmas spirit in Maplesville.

Olde Town Scoops in Jemison went with a similar design of an old-time truck they used for the fall decorating contest in November. Asia Flores, an employee at Olde Town Scoops, said that the owner Tiffany loves trucks, especially the older ones, and this was the inspiration for the design.

“We looked at a picture and outlined the design, but it is all freestyle though,” Flores said. “We just like to make it pretty so that it stands out when people come and we can bring more customers in.”

Flores said the whole staff at Olde Town Scoops enjoys participating in the contests.

“To us, it seems like it is simple to participate and is just something we like doing,” Flores said.

Garrison Farm & Home Center in Thorsby have made the decorating contest into something their customers look forward to seeing each time they come in. Customers are greeted with four painted windows ranging from “Let Heaven and Nature Sing” with a chapel on the left windows. A baby in a manger and a tractor and combine are on the right windows.

Teresa Garrison said they were excited to participate in the Peach mural contest the Chilton Chamber held during the summer and have done each contest since.

“My customers are enjoying it and they love the windows being painted and want to see it change,” Garrison said. “I have had several customers tell me they liked it, so that encouraged me to keep doing it. It gets everyone in the (Christmas) spirit.”

Meagan Manley at First Bank of Alabama in Clanton was the artist behind the Santa and candy cane design on the front doors. Manley painted the design in hopes it will continue to help First Bank of Alabama get more involved in the community.

“It was not really anything particular we had in mind, so we started looking online for ideas,” Manley said. “We are just really trying to get out into the community … we have basically been at every community event we can to help that.”

The Chilton Chamber has seen a high participation in the decorating contests in 2022 and expects to continue them into 2023.