Pet Christmas Stocking Ideas
There’s nothing better than spending Christmas with those that you love, eating food, playing games and opening presents together. No matter what your Christmas plans are this year, your beloved pets will no doubt want to be involved in all of those activities! With this guide, you can learn how to make their Christmas as special as possible with our ideas for Christmas presents for pets.
What do pets want for Christmas?
Of course, to your pets, it’s just another day. But that doesn’t mean they won’t love ripping opening the gifts on Christmas morning. If you’re wondering how to involve your pet in the Christmas festivities this year, read below are some of our favourite Christmas gifts for cats and dogs:
- Treats
Christmas treats will always go down a storm with your cat or dog. You can buy Christmas specific treats; think turkey flavours.
- Puzzle toys
Puzzle toys are the perfect gift for Christmas. Not only does it provide some wonderful brain training activities, but it will keep your pets occupied during the Christmas festivities. These are especially great for anxious pets, who may feel a little worried with the extra guests entering their home over the Christmas period.
- Soft toys
If your pet loves to cuddle, then why not gift them with a soft toy for Christmas? They’re the perfect gift if you have young children running around at Christmas – they’re easy to wrap and no plastic hazards.
- Blankets and bedding
Christmas is a great excuse to gift your pet with a brand-new bed. They will love snuggling up and relaxing with all of their new soft toys. Blankets are always great Christmas presents for dogs and cats; they will love curling up in front of the fire on a fluffy blanket that they can call their own.
But of course, not all of these items would fit in a stocking, so how would you go about making one for your pet?
How do I make a stocking for my dog?
Making a stocking for your dog is a fun Christmas activity that you can involve all the family in. You can buy empty stockings from your local Sainsbury’s or Argos that you can fill up yourself with your own personalised treats for your pup.
When making the stocking for your dog, we recommend putting treats or anything edible in the sock of the stocking to make sure that your dog doesn’t steal (eat) anything early, before the big day.
What should I put in my dog’s Christmas stocking?
Some great Christmas presents for dogs come in small sizes, perfect for Christmas stockings. Some pet safe products include:
- Tennis balls
- Chew bones
- A rope toy
- Biscuits
- A teddy
As already mentioned, putting anything edible in the bottom of the stocking will mean your dog can’t steal anything out of the top, but it also makes for a great digging activity for them when they come to opening the stocking.
How do I make a stocking for my cat?
Just like with a dog, there are many Christmas gifts for cats that come in smaller sizes, perfect for filling a stocking.
For a cat’s stocking, you can choose a smaller stocking, or one that has décor with bells and ribbons (things we know that cats love to play with). Make sure to choose a stocking that is pet-safe; you can find these at pet stores or pet shops online.
What should I put in my cat’s Christmas stocking?
A cat’s stocking can be filled with lots of stocking fillers for Christmas. Some wonderful gifts for cats include:
- Cat nip toys
- Small biscuits
- Mouse toys
- Christmas themed collars or dress-up items
- Soft toys
How to make a DIY pet stocking this Christmas
If you’re feeling crafty this year, why not make a stocking from scratch?
Our advice would be to use fleece or felt as the main material. This requires minimal stitching, and no hem, as you can always use fabric glue for the sides.
- Using craft scissors, cut out the shape of your stocking on two pieces of felt. This could be a classic stocking shape, or you can cut it to the shape of a bone for your pup!
- Stitch along the edge, joining the two pieces together. Or you can use fabric glue. Make sure not to stitch or glue the top, as this is your opening to stuff it with gifts!
- Once finished, decorate and add a loop. You can do this by stitching on a piece of ribbon or string if you want to hang it on the door or the wall.
- Fill the stocking with Christmas treats for your pet.
Christmas fun is for all the family. But remember it’s important to protect yourself from unexpected vet bills, should your pet come to any harm, with Argos Pet Insurance provided by Pinnacle Insurance plc. Explore our cat insurance and our dog insurance policies today.
