After being infected with COVID on Thanksgiving last year, my 2020 holiday gift was bleak at best. This year, I was so eager to return to the swing of things, I did not wait until December. I decided to give a gift on Thanksgiving.
If I manage to pick the right gift, I absolutely like to choose the gift and imagine the joy of the recipient. When I went shopping at the grocery store before Thanksgiving, I was inspired by a product that I thought would bring happiness to the people on my list and their pets.
If you can't buy the 2021 cat or dog Advent calendar at Trader Joe's, you can blame me. I think I managed to buy out all the stores in the Greater Pasadena area, which is not easy given their restrictions on the number of purchases.
As a child, I, like my son, opened a "door" of the Advent Calendar every day starting from December 1st, and found a small toy, chocolate or holiday drawing hidden in it.
After distributing hundreds of pet Advent calendars in recent weeks, I have explained the Advent calendar many times to those who are not familiar with this tradition. For those who are accustomed to the Advent calendar food, I sometimes have to quickly explain before one person starts to eat the salmon crackers... This kind of snack is for your pet, not for you.
The holiday pet industry is booming. According to a recent study, more than 70% of dog and cat owners buy special gifts or snacks for their pets during the holiday season. A quick online search or visit to pet supply stores, such as our Pasadena Humane Shelter Shop, will immerse you in the world of Christmas and Hanukkah themed toys, sweaters and festive feasts and Santa snacks.
Although buying gifts for our non-human family members is certainly satisfying for us and them, I would like to offer some other ideas on how to share the holiday spirit with your pet.
-Take your dog to see the holiday lights. Some of my favorite local attractions include the classic Christmas Tree Alley in Altadena, the incredible displays near the Upper Hastings Ranch in Pasadena, and the towering tree lights on St Albans Road in San Marino.
-Ask your cat to help wrap the gift. Whether it's paper rolls or gift boxes, cats can't resist the temptation of gift wrapping parties. Enjoy the laughter and kitten antics, while making sure they don’t ingest any ribbons, ropes or harmful materials.
-Be cunning by making rich toys for your pet. You can easily make toys with household items, such as catnip socks, cardboard hamster wheels, and plastic bottle crunch toys for dogs.
If these ideas do not suit you, I encourage you to spend more time with your pet. In view of the cold weather this week, I really like to snuggle up on the sofa by the fireplace with my dog Sueshi.
I hope you will find comfort and happiness from your own family traditions during this holiday. With a little creativity, you can add some new traditions that pets will also love.
Dia DuVernet is the President and CEO of Pasadena Humane.
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