Christmas might not be just for the religious people. I have a Christmas tree in my room all year long just for decoration purpose. Besides, the lights on there is just about right for my room when I watch a movie or do other things on my computer.
When it comes to Christmas gifts, I never buy anything for my pets just for the sake of giving them gifts. Then again, there are a lot of hot deals from various local and online stores at this time of the year. Might as well buy something because of the discounts.
Stock up some frozen food (frozen bloodworm, frozen brine shrimp, frozen krill) for treating my tropical fish is great at this time of the year too, since there is less worry for them to become unfrozen during the shipping.
What have you bought for your pets so far? Or if you are planning to buy something soon?
Last year, I bought my bird a nice bird-safe stainless steel bell to give him for a Christmas present. Well, he was terrified of it, and still is (even though I don't put it in his cage, and I ding it every so often to try to get him used to the sound). So, this year I just bought him some new rope perches to replace the ones he's been chewing on for the past several months. I also got them on sale during "Black Friday" weekend. At least this is something he needs and won't be scared of!
My mom has a Christmas stocking for each of my two dogs. I can't wait until Christmas. My mom says that my brothers and I are too old, cuz we are now adults, for Christmas stockings. Since my mom doesn't have any grandchildren, she says that she went overboard with my two dogs this year. So, I can't wait until I see what she bought for stocking stuffers for my dogs. My mom is NOT a dog lover but she says she takes an interest in what I care about - which is dogs, especially my two adorable, cute dogs. So, for my mom to buy for my dogs, I am so thrilled. Not sure what she has come up with for my dogs though. I am a little nervous but also, thrilled. Who knows what my mom bought, who is not a dog lover, for my two dogs. Hope I can put on a big smile even if it is something weird or not appropriate for my dogs. I don't want to ruin it for my mom but still hoping she bought the right kind of things for my dogs.
Perhaps, next year I will give her a list. But for this year - I am still thankful. Really I am.
I love getting Christmas gifts for my cats, when I can. Last year, this current group of cats (my gypsy tribe of semi-ferals) had just showed up not long before and I had to admit that getting something for them for Christmas would be totally wasted. Meaning, they had no clue about Christmas! and I was already buying stuff for them on the off chance they would come inside (they still have not) and that was not going anywhere. (And I do believe inside pets understand enough about Christmas that they can appreciate gifts - they sense something celebratory is happening and like to be included in that.)
I've decided to focus on spending my energy toward keeping them as healthy as I can since they are outside - so far they're doing pretty darn well from what I can tell!
I always buy at least one little toy or something for my pets (by 'my pets' I actually mean my parents pets, since I moved out and can't technically call them mine anymore) for Christmas. I get at least one package of treats before the holidays hit, so that whenever my family and I are being "treated" with cookies, cakes, pies, candies, and whatever other sweet treats we eat during the holiday, the pets can have a bit too so they don't feel left out. This past Christmas, I wrapped the gifts for my pets, and then unwrapped them in front of my cat and dog. The cat ended up playing with the wrapping paper almost as much as she did her toy xD I think it's nice to remember pets for the holidays. But if I was short on money, I don't think I would skimp and save just to make sure the pet got something
Buying regular pet food isn't exactly gifts for the pets. On the other hand, buying special treats can certainly be called gifts. Special treats, special toys, are probably the only things the pets want, as well as what most pet owners would buy for their pets as presents.
Me too stocked up frozen food for my fish as I see it as a chance (holiday season on sale, free shipping, as well as the freezing temperature can keep the packages nice and frozen on the way). Since frozen food for fish are weekly treats, they have got their Christmas gifts as far as I am concerned. Other than frozen fish food, I got a new extra large fake tree log as decoration. Some fish might like hide and seek. Extra hiding places in the tank can be wonderful for them. Now I call that another Christmas gift.
I don't think that the holiday season would be complete without getting my cat a gift. For as long as I can remember I have always bought my cat something whether it was a toy or a blanket or any other little thing like sweet treats for her. I always love spoiling my cat so the holiday season gives me another excuse to buy her more things. I love when she is happy which in result makes me happy as well despite how cheesy this may sound!
One of my dog's birthday is Christmas Eve, so I don't know if you would call it a Christmas gift, per se, but I always buy her something during the Christmas holidays.
I only buy her food or treats, or the frozen dog treats. If I got a toy, then or other dog would just play with it and tear it up. I may buy her a blanket or something for her kennel, as she *loves* to cuddle up under blankets even if it's 90 degrees outside.
We sometimes will buy our pets a present at Christmas. Our kids love to do the shopping. This last year they got our dogs some tasty bones for their treat. They also found our cats some catnip and new toys for them to play with.
Our guinea pigs received a new batch of carrots and a new house! They were happy with the carrots for sure.
We do enjoy them, and yes most of the time we will buy them something for the holidays.
I can't say I remember ever getting a Christmas present for a pet. I do remember one year when I was fairly young, my grandmother bought a sweater for the dog; we put it on him and within minutes he'd somehow wiggled out of it and chewed it to shreds, lol.
I never got a Christmas present for my pets, but maybe I'll start this year! I think that even the sock itself would make a great gift, since cats love crawling into things I'm sure that they would love some special treats and toys as presents, maybe even some homemade, Christmas themed threats.
And, of course, they would love the wrapping paper, bows, leftover boxes... It really seems like the perfect holiday for cats.
Every year I get a stocking for each of my pets and hang them next to the families. The fish never got a stocking, but since there's sales
around the holidays they always get something too. I just fill the stocking up with Whatever little things I find around the stores while I'm shopping for the family that I think they will like. My dog got a Huge bone last year, it couldn't even fit in his stocking! We had to lay it under the tree with a big bow on it. I think my pet's really enjoy being able to participate with us while we're having so much fun opening our gifts.
Well, I guess I'm in the minority here, since I don't buy Christmas gifts for my critters. My former in-laws ALWAYS did....chew bones for our dog, and she loved them, and cat toys for our cat...and she ignored all but one of those over the years.
My new hubby has a very different personality from mine in this regard, though. He'll often just come home from shopping with something new for our two cats. But....since one of them rarely plays with toys, and the other will play with ANYTHING (crumpled up paper, a tennis ball, etc.....as well as all the other toys our other girl has ignored over the years!) we don't really need any new toys. Count me frugal or stingy....I don't like to spend the money if it's not necessary.