Given that they don't understand the season,do you think it's a good idea to buy your pets Christmas presents?

We always give our pets Christmas presents! Even the cat, who usually acts as if he doesn't care. However, I know he is happy with his gift when I catch him (when he thinks no one is watching him) playing with his new toy with the enthusiasm of a kitten!

I KNOW the dogs are more than thrills to get a gift to open! Last year we almost forgot to give the dog his gift as we were more focused on the human baby's first Christmas. We looked over and the fur baby was pouting.So I located his present and before I even said anything, he had stood up wagging his tail like crazy!

He loves to rip the paper off and we don't even mind if he tears it into little tiny pieces. We believe that our pets are a big part of our family and the DO understand the ritual of gift giving. After all, dogs are pack animals and as pack leaders they understand that they are accepted when they are presented with an offering from us.

Ie. Alpha dog leaves part of the meal for the rest of his pack. We usually give a small wrapped gift or two to our pets and to the pets of our friends and family, we donate a couple of bucks to a local animal shelter in the name of each of them.

I would not do it as I think it is silly. That being said there is nothing wrong with buying your pets Christmas presents if you want to. I spend most of my time keeping my cat out of the tree and am in no mood to reward him at Christmas lol.

Even though your pets don't understand the season (I suspect they may have thier own secret religion; they worship YOU :) , you understand it and since Christmas is about giving......you should absolutely get them gifts. I wouldn't dream of leaving my pets off my list. In fact, just a few days ago I ordered a rubber chicken for our dog as a gag gift.

He might not get the gag but he'll love the squeak and I'll laugh my a$$ off at how clever I think I am!

I think pets sense the excitement on this special day. Humans are ripping up paper and boxes, and not getting into trouble for it! Pets (depending on the pet) sense happiness as well, so if it makes you happy to give your pet a Christmas prezzy, certainly do so!

I really don't think they understand the concept of Christmas gift giving, but might perceive it as a really big Doggie Treat!

Pets' enthusiasm about the gifts leads me to think that they DO understand what Christmas presents are all about! When they play with that gift (or eat it if edible! ), you'll know that you made them happy!

Regardless of their reaction, it makes us owners happy to buy them gifts, so why not?

I never gave my beloved cats Christmas presents or sent out Christmas cards from them. I did have a special ornament engraved with each cat's name that I hung on the tree. The cats have been dead for many years now, but I still have their ornaments.

I don't hang them on the tree anymore, but it makes me smile when I come across them in the ornament boxes.

Yes, because even though they don't know it is winter, it is always nice to surprise your pet with a new chew toy or something along those lines.

Okay, cynical answer. A lot of people just want gifts and don't care about the reason for them, so why not include family pets! I don't have any religious beliefs and that doesn't get me out of giving to family, and I'd rather spoil my bunny rotten anyway ;) (Yes, admittedly my bunny is a cheap if rathe rpicky date.) So if it makes you happy to do it, go for it.

They don't have to understand the reason for a gift to get joy out of it. (Besides, you give gifts to infants long before the concept of birthday and christmas etc registers with them, and yet fun is had all around, right?).

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.