It's beginning to look a lot like Woof-mas... or Meow-mas... or Squeak-mas.
Whatever you celebrate and with whatever furry creature you celebrate with, chances are you don't think about gifting them along with the rest of the family until you're out and about, doing Santa duties yourself. And every year, you might say, "Fido and Fluffy don't need gifts," only for them to be showered with gifts from friends and relatives.
Here are three simple, easy, frequently cost effective gifts you can give your pets this holiday season
1. A special meal
Smidge and Cairo love cheese and Cairo loves milk and yogurt. If I don't want to buy them anything big, or I run out of time, or I'm burned out on cash, I'll pour a little saucer of milk for the Ol' Pudge and sprinkle a little shredded cheese in the Lil Pidge's bowl. This, or cracking open a can of wet food can make their night.
2. A new collar, harness, leash, or ID tags
Every pet owner wants pet gear that fits in with their personal aesthetic, but we also want those babies to be safe. If your pet's tags are old, rusty, faded, etc., swing by the pet store or a department store to get a new tag made. Upgrading collars, leashes and harnesses every holiday season can help prevent overuse or excessive wear too, so your pet is always secure on walks and the risk of equipment malfunction is limited. Alternatively, a microchip is available at your vet or local shelters, often for a relatively low cost, so your pet is always digitally secure.
3. Your full attention
Lock your pet out of the room and arrange a small obstacle course or trail for them to locate a new toy or treat of choice. Be sure to guide them in through the course and during the activity so they get your full attention, which is the real gift.
Yes, our pets just really want to be with us. It's fun to buy things or share on social media how much fun your furbaby is having for Christmas, but in this busy season it can be easy to be overwhelmed, sometimes short tempered, or burned out as people. Take a break, put up your tech or work items for a moment and just enjoy time with your pet. Count their toes, rub their ears, go for a walk, give them a bath, snuggle, heck, do it all.
It can be easy to get sucked in to the idea that you *need* to buy a gift for your dog, cat, guinea pig, whatever. I know I have, and sometimes I genuinely want to. But in the end I found I can show my love in a way they will understand best: their security, a full belly, and lots of belly rubs.
