# Do you buy your pets Christmas presents? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 15, 2009, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-your-pets-christmas-presents/521419 "2009-12-15T23:47:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-your-pets-christmas-presents/521419/1 "2009-12-15T23:47:26Z")
Do you buy your pet(s) a Christmas/Chanukah/Kwanzaa/Solstice/[insert winter holiday] present? I bought my dog (miniture dachshund) a box of Christmas themed dog treats. :o And yes I admit I did have them gift wrapped (in my defence it was free and he looks _sooo_ cute tearing throug the paper with his little paws). ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-your-pets-christmas-presents/521419/2 "2009-12-15T23:55:01Z")
They get treats and new toys in their stockings, yes. We don’t let them open things, though, because they’re not good at distinguishing tearing open their Christmas treats from tearing open packages of human food. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-your-pets-christmas-presents/521419/3 "2009-12-15T23:59:30Z")
Yep. They get new toys in their stockings. Although they are usually just as happy playing with the discarded bows. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-your-pets-christmas-presents/521419/4 "2009-12-16T00:06:27Z")
There’s a shocker; a poster named **CrazyCatLady** gives her cats presents… 😛 We give our dog Christmas presents, hang (and fill) a paw shaped stocking for her _and_ she gets a birthday present too. ---
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-your-pets-christmas-presents/521419/5 "2009-12-16T00:15:28Z")
The catsharks usually get a couple of tiny new fur mice or something, because Audrey is a sucker for tiny fur mice wearing Santa hats. ---
**Author:** ![Picard\_Kills\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dec6dc/32.png) [@Picard\_Kills\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Picard_Kills_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-your-pets-christmas-presents/521419/6 "2009-12-16T00:18:49Z")
I think I got my dog more christmas presents this year than I got for my wife. Hahaha! ETA: At least the dog and I will have some new toys to play with when I am sleeping on the couch. And I forgot to mention we also receive gifts from the dog. On my wife’s birthday the dog got her a Dogzilla chewtoy. We are a little crazy… ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-your-pets-christmas-presents/521419/7 "2009-12-16T00:32:59Z")
When I had a dog and cat, I got them presents. The dog always got one of those huge rawhide bones, which for some reason he was able to eat in two days. The cat got catnip toys, but like another poster said, the cat was more interested in sliding into the wrapping papper. ---
**Author:** ![truthbot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@truthbot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthbot)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-your-pets-christmas-presents/521419/8 "2009-12-16T00:54:13Z")
Yes, my pets get prezzies. The border collie gets a new red&white plush ball (they must be red&white, she eschews all other colors); Toto is getting a plush doggie toy, the cats get fresh catnip mice. My horses get peppermint marshmallows that I make for them. ---
**Author:** ![Deanna\_D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e495f1/32.png) [@Deanna\_D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deanna_D)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-your-pets-christmas-presents/521419/9 "2009-12-16T02:43:05Z")
Yes…in my twisted family traditions, both dogs and all three cats get presents. They also give presents as well, so it all evens out in the end. Although my daughter, who is always the one who questions everything, has quizzed me about this over the years: How can her cat buy presents when she has no job and no money…and why does the dog’s handwriting on the gift tag look just like mine? You’d think after all these years, she’d just learn not to ask… ---
**Author:** ![tygre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@tygre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tygre)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-your-pets-christmas-presents/521419/10 "2009-12-16T02:50:02Z")
No, and this makes me abnormal in my SO’s family, where dogs get birthday gifts and costumes for Halloween, in addition to Christmas presents. I love my cats and buy them toys and treats often, but cats(and dogs) don’t know it’s Christmas!! /rant off ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-your-pets-christmas-presents/521419/11 "2009-12-16T02:58:46Z")
I hadn’t planned to get my dog a present, but when I went to PetSmart last week they had big cane-shaped rawhides with red bows on 'em. So I bought one and put it in her stocking. 🙂 I also got her a bunch of new toys, several of which went directly into her “toy box” to be introduced later, but those were just regular “I spend too much money on my dog” presents – not Christmas presents. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-your-pets-christmas-presents/521419/12 "2009-12-16T11:15:51Z")
Like me, my cats are atheists. But I don’t have the heart to deprive them of Christmas presents. ---
**Author:** ![JoseArcadio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc348/32.png) [@JoseArcadio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseArcadio)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-your-pets-christmas-presents/521419/13 "2009-12-16T13:11:49Z")
I don’t have a pet anymore but we always got presents for my dog growing up. It was one of the best bits of Christmas morning; he’d get so excited tearing open his presents he’d always attack the other presents under the tree too. Chaos ensued. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-your-pets-christmas-presents/521419/14 "2009-12-16T14:02:46Z")
I voted “yes” because I have in the past, but I don’t usually. Most often, I just make an extra fuss over them so they don’t feel ignored while we are opening our gifts. I’ll go in the kitchen and get a few treats and they can each have a couple in between our gifts. It’s all the same to them. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-your-pets-christmas-presents/521419/15 "2009-12-16T14:08:34Z")
Absolutely. Two dogs and one cat and they always have a present of something to open each Christmas. Why, they even got a housewarming gift! 😃 I’m just glad this thread reminded me that I’ve still got some shopping to do… ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-your-pets-christmas-presents/521419/16 "2009-12-16T14:16:38Z")
Yep and I wrap 'em too! When I was growing up we had an Irish Setter who would pull just her packages out from under the tree and open them when no one was home. My current dog doesn’t quite get the concept of unwrapping unless it’s a rawhide treat that he can really smell. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-your-pets-christmas-presents/521419/17 "2009-12-16T14:20:43Z")
I get them something every year but they can never unwrap it. They look at it and walk off. Fuckwits probably couldn’t read the books I bought them anyhow. ---
**Author:** ![otternell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecc23a/32.png) [@otternell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otternell)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-your-pets-christmas-presents/521419/18 "2009-12-16T14:42:31Z")
Each of the dogs gets their own stocking, filled with toys and treats. When we first get the stockings down (they are hung on the mantle with care) we dump out all the toys and let the dogs just go insane with excitement. Once everyone has settled down and picked a toy to destroy, we put the other ones away. They really like the plush toys, but the min pin will destroy one in the first 5-10 minutes, so I buy the cheap ones from dollar stores that way everyone gets multiple toys. They’ll all be destroyed by March. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-your-pets-christmas-presents/521419/19 "2009-12-16T15:20:17Z")
Hell no, Birthdays are enough of a problem. I mean with 7 a year and 7 dogs that’s 49 presents a year! ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-your-pets-christmas-presents/521419/20 "2009-12-16T15:54:49Z")
I usually buy something small for my kitty, so he doesn’t feel neglected on Christmas morning. I don’t make him a stocking or anything, and I’m convinced that he thinks the ornaments on the lowest branches of the tree are his _pre-Christmas_ presents. . .but yeah, he normally gets a little sumthin’. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-your-pets-christmas-presents/521419.md?page=2)