Holiday Traditions with Pets

It’s always fun spending the holidays with our loved ones. There are a lot of traditions that surround the holiday season, but they all have to start somewhere. A tradition always starts with one day or celebration that is meaningful. It’s something you want to repeat every year. It makes an otherwise somewhat stressful holiday fun because you have something to look forward too. So, if you are looking for a new tradition to start, why not make sure to include your pet too? Here are some of the best ideas for starting a holiday that includes your pet.

• Ugly Dog Sweaters

The ugly sweater party doesn’t have to be for just humans! Why not throw a party and invite everyone, including the dogs, to wear their ugliest Christmas sweater. You can hold a contest and have everyone vote on the ugliest sweater of the night. The winner can take home a stocking full of treats for both people and four legged friends.

• Baking Goodies on Holiday

Holidays and baking go hand in hand. We all love having sweet delicious treats to snack on and so do our dogs. So, this year start a tradition of baking a batch or two of dog treats as well. I Heart Dogs has 10 “paw-some” cookies recipes that are easy to make and your dog is sure to love. After all, indulging in extra sweets is half the fun of the holidays, right?

• Picking the Perfect Tree

Take the whole family out to a Christmas Tree farm. Grab some hot chocolate, walk through the trees and find the perfect one. Let your dog lead the way and if they lift their leg in approval, you may have just found the perfect tree.

• Visit Nursing Homes or Hospitals

The holidays can be pretty lonely for some people. That’s why starting a tradition to visit those in need is so great. You, your dog and maybe your children can spread the joy of Christmas. Call your local nursing homes and hospitals to see what you need to do in order to schedule a visit. Sometimes just the gift of your presences is all they need to make the end of their year great.

• Christmas Movies with Pets

Snuggle in with your freshly baked goodies and turn on a good Christmas movie. Bonus points when you watch one with pets as the main characters like Benji’s Christmas Story, Santa Buddies, or Beethoven’s Christmas Adventure. There’s nothing better than cuddling under a blanket by the fire with your loved ones and a good movie.

Starting a new holiday tradition isn’t hard, it just takes once to start something you will want to do every year. Do you have any traditions that you and your pets? We’d love to hear all about them in the comments below or you can share it on our Twitter and Facebook page!