I was surfing the other day and ran across an advice column in which a woman asked if her new boyfriend was likely to be creeped out because she had seven packages under the tree–for her dog. That’s OK, the advice ran; it would only be creepy if the presents were for your cat.
Cat jokes aside, buying presents for pets for the holidays is one of those trends that has accompanied the transformation of dogs and cats into family members. Of course, for most of us, they have always been family members, but I fear that I have never bought into the idea that just because they are family members they need to have packages under the tree.
Don’t get me wrong. Their little stockings are hung by the chimney with care. They just aren’t actually filled with anything. There are definitely some Christmas-themed dog toys around here somewhere, from Xmases past, but they were not put under the tree for the dogs to unwrap; they were just given to them when I got home from the store. Our holiday tradition is to throw the wrapping and boxes onto the floor and let the dogs tear into them. That’s one of the best puppy games ever, as far as I’m concerned. (And no, before you start to lecture me, it has never encouraged them to tear up other packages, although I certainly might rethink the practice if I get a different breed.)
All of the neighbors shower them with bags of treats, wrapped, of course, so they aren’t completely deprived at the gift-giving season. If I am in a baking mood, and I usually am, they get homemade treats as well. We’ve done pictures with Santa, we go for walks through the neighborhood to see the holiday lights, and naturally they get a taste of roast beast–just like they get a taste of my oatmeal in the morning or a bite of apple that one of us is eating.
How do your pets spend the holidays?
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