December is a holiday packed month, which means we’ll be spending lots of time with family and friends. In all of this excitement it can be easy to forget about including our pets. No matter how or what you celebrate this year, keep reading for some tips to include our furry friends this holiday season.
Christmas
- Decorating Cooking is always a favorite not only among children, but adults too. This year when you sit down to decorate cookies, consider making some treats for your dog too! That way they can have some fun at the table as well. If you are cutting the cookies yourself, see if you can find a dog/cat cutout and decorate some cookies to honor your pet!
- When the Christmas lights turn on in the neighborhood, it is so fun to take a long walk (or drive) through the neighborhood to see what everyone has come up with. This year, take your pet along; they enjoy all of the lights too!
- Everyone loves receiving Christmas cards to see what everyone has been up to and how much kids have grown. This includes your pets too! When you are setting up to take the annual photo, include your pet because they are part of your family too.
- Christmas stockings are a cute way to represent your family above the mantle. Consider adding one for your pet this year, and if you have time DIYing a stocking for them.
Hanukkah
- Traditional foods eaten during Hanukkah, like Latkes and Chocolate Coins, are very toxic to your pets. As much as we’d like to give them our leftovers, it just isn’t safe. Instead try making homemade applesauce! Most brands have added sugar and preservatives, so homemade is the safest way to go.
- Dreidels can be dangerous for pets, just like children, so this year think about getting a Dreidel dog toy so they can join in on the fun too!
- If you choose to include your pet while lighting the candles, make sure they are safe, by keeping the menorah out of reach. Once they are lit, make sure they don’t get close enough to knock it over or burn themselves.
Kwanzaa
- When placing Corn on the Mkeka this year during Kwanzaa, consider adding one for your pet. They make up an important part of our families too!
- We love dressing up our pets, especially in the winter. Kwanzaa is a great time to get them something black, red, green, or all of the above to include them in the celebration.
- As much as we would love to include our pets in Karamu, some of the foods are unsafe for our pets. Fortunately however, cooked sweet potatoes, okra, and plantains are safe to share with your pets.
If you plan on traveling this year, check out our previous blog on Traveling with Pets for Thanksgiving. All of these tips are great for December too!