As many families around the world prepare for a more solitary Christmas this year, nothing will get in the way of one Texas family...
As many families around the world prepare for a more solitary Christmas this year, nothing will get in the way of one Texas family from sharing their special day with a rather unusual dinner guest.
Sat beside R.C. Bridges, 63, and his wife Sherron, 47, for their festive meal will be a 2,500lb buffalo named Wild Thing.
The eccentric cowboy couple will even open presents with their unconventional house pet as they share the festivities together.
R.C. Bridges, 63, and his wife Sherron, 47, let a 2,500lb buffalo named Wild Thing roam around their Texas home
The eccentric cowboy couple will even open presents with their unconventional house pet as they share the festivities together
Sherron decided to bring the huge animal into the home 15 years ago after selling their herd of 52 buffalo
R.C. and Sherron sold their herd of 52 buffalo in 2004 and later replaced them with one calf which they decided to raise in the house.
They now celebrate Christmas alongside him every year, and despite his colossal size, he has never destroyed any delicate decorations.
R.C. said: 'Wild Thing really enjoys joining us in the house at Christmas - he's very social with us because we act as his herd.
'I always get a present for him to play with and I might get him a trash can this year. He absolutely loves knocking them around the yard with his horns.
The couple celebrate Christmas alongside him every year, and despite his colossal size, he has never destroyed any delicate decorations
R.C. and Sherron sold their herd of 52 buffalo in 2004 and later replaced them with one calf which they decided to raise in the house
The buffalo is such a big part of his owners' lives, he was even R.C.'s best man when he and Sherron married 10 years ago (pictured)
'He even likes to dress up and I bought a wreath to hang on one of his horns this year.'
Wild Thing even has his own room so he can watch action movies, and eats his breakfast from the kitchen table.
R.C. added: 'He has a barn and land to walk about in but he loves coming in to watch TV. Being in the house is his favorite thing.
'He is the real life bull in a china shop although I'm surprised he doesn't do more damage with his 400lb head when he comes and goes as he pleases.
Wild Thing even has his own room so he can watch action movies, and eats his breakfast from the kitchen table
The American couple sold their pack of buffalo after R.C. lost vision in his left eye due to illness and could no longer look after them all
'It's like a car coming through the house, he has his own room where he watches TV but his favorite room requires a bit of furniture moving to get him in each time.
'But despite how big he is, he's never knocked over or broken any of our Christmas ornaments.'
The American couple sold their pack of buffalo after R.C. lost vision in his left eye due to illness and could no longer look after them all.
Wild Thing is now 15 years old and has almost killed his owners on more than one occasion due to his sheer size, but R.C. and Sherron claim they wouldn't have it any other way.
Wild Thing is now 15 years old and has almost killed his owners on more than one occasion
Morning coffee: The couple enjoy breakfast alongside their unusual and somewhat intimidating-looking pet
Sherron said: 'It was my idea to bring Wild Thing in the house when he was a young calf, I said we should bring him in.
'I told Ronnie, he only lives once so we might as well do something different with him.'
The buffalo is such a big part of his owners' lives, he was even R.C.'s best man when he and Sherron married 10 years ago.
They also hold birthday parties and parades for Wild Thing, where the general public can see him in his splendor, but only from afar.
They hold birthday parties and parades for Wild Thing, where the general public can see him in his splendor, but only from afar
R.C. said: 'He is the real life bull in a china shop although I'm surprised he doesn't do more damage with his 400lb head when he comes and goes as he pleases'
The big bison gets his own presents, holiday accessories and even sits with his owners for Christmas dinner at the table
R.C. said: 'It's taken ten years for him to let my wife brush him and he's not safe for other people to come near.
'He attacked me just last year and a few years prior, something spooked him and he hit me between his horns and carried on running with me holding on, my wife thought I was dead.
'But we wouldn't have life any other way. He's our pet and we love him.'