For me, holiday shopping is a year-long treasure hunt. As I go over my gift list at the start of every holiday season, which for me starts in January, my beloved pets are always a Christmas priority.
This year, I am searching for that perfect present for the dogs in my life (Finley, and Ziti). And as anyone with pets knows all too well, sometimes a gift for a pet is as much a gift for their guardian. With that in mind, I present to you (pun intended) my 2023 top 10 holiday gift ideas for the special cats or dogs in your life and, of course, their guardians! You’ll find a little bit of something for everyone here, including yourselves.
1. Clever Christmas cat house from Cat in the Box!
For cat lovers everywhere, the wonderful cat creations from Cat in the Box are a Christmas lovers’ delight! But more than that, cats absolutely LOVE them. Everyone knows that cats love boxes thanks to those ubiquitous videos on youtube. They climb in, around, over, and sometimes under filthy, dirty, and ugly shipping boxes.
Why settle for those when you can get amazing cat houses from Cat in the Box that add to the beauty of your home! These cat houses are whimsical, creative, and some even let you customize them with stickers (gingerloaf house)! One high-end design magazine even called Cat in the Box’s Mega Milk Carton “Warhol-esque.” While the company has many different designs, I can’t help but focus on their “Gingerloaf House” given that we’re talking about the holiday season. Not only does it look like a gingerbread house, but it comes with holiday candy stickers so you can make it your own with a cat scratcher for the floor. And given all the videos posted from customers on the company’s Instagram account, it’s clear cats are gaga for these fanciful creations. Cat in the Box is a sponsor of this site but they are a sponsor because I LOVE their cat houses and toys!!!
Don’t have a cat? No problem. These wonderful cat houses make great holiday gifts and come in a variety of designs in addition to the gingerbread house, including a haunted house, beach house, milk carton, and giant cheese wedge. And cats love them all. Cat in the Box’s social channels also show how creative customers are getting with additional decorations and even using the house for their Elf on a Shelf or other pets, including small dogs and rabbits.
You can find all the amazing cat houses at thecatisinthebox.com.
2. Christmas cat stocking
And speaking of Cat in the Box, the company that makes such creative cat houses has a product that I’m just crazy about. It’s the new Cat in the Box “Cat Stocking,” which comes with three special toys/gifts for your favorite cat(s).
Beautifully packaged, this bundle of Christmas cheer comes ready to hang on your mantle next to all the other stockings, whether for your favorite humans or the furry favs in your life. In addition to the three creative toys (a fish, maple leaf, and fortune cookie), there is room for you to add your own special holiday stocking stuffers.
The cat stocking, as well as the toys, were designed by the business owner herself and features an embroidered cat with Santa hat and star on the front and back and is sure to become a seasonal keepsake that you treasure each year during the holidays. And it comes with its own ziplock bag so you can store it away for safe keeping after the holidays until its time to celebrate again!
3. Dog or cat tag
In our spare time, my wife and I are always looking for new local walking trails or planning our next national park adventure. That’s why the “Hand Stamped Pet ID Double Sided Dog and Cat Tag, Hiking Adventure Christmas Gift” on Etsy stood out to me.
Available in brass and nickel, the mountainside design is a five-star item with room on the back to add important details about your favorite dog or cat.
I absolutely love the design, which represents our outdoorsy lifestyle and how we like to spend our free time when not focused on pursuing our other passions. Put this one on my holiday wish list.
This fun item is available from Castor and Noble, a company based in the UK.
4. Personalized dog wrapping paper
You’re all set to wrap the gifts you’ve purchased for the favorite dog in your life for the holidays but you’re looking for something that stands out from all the other generic wrapping paper available during the holiday season.
Well, look no more. SoSweetPartyShop is offering its “Personalized Dog Christmas Gift Wrap,” which allows you to add your dog’s name and breed to the final design. For $19.95 + shipping, you get three sheets that are 30 inches in length and 24 inches wide.
This adorable wrapping paper makes for the perfect presentation for your dog’s holiday gifts under the Christmas tree.
5. Put your dog on a blanket
When Christmas is over and the frosty chill of winter comes nipping at your nose, your favorite pet guardian will be so glad you gave them this “Custom Pet Face blanket” from AlphaCreativeStudio. Put your friend’s or family member’s pet, or even your own if you want to give a gift to yourself, on this cozy fleece blanket, which is machine-washable.
And there’s even room under the blanket for a cuddly dog or cat.
For those who partake in the Danish obsession of Hygge, this is the perfect gift to keep cozy and warm all winter long! It comes in 25 colors ranging from Christmas Green to Cocoa. I can always go for cocoa no matter what form it comes in. 🙂
6. Ornament keepsake for your Christmas tree
Every year at Christmas, one of our favorite holiday traditions is decorating our balsam fir tree with our growing collection of personalized ornaments. For us, our ornaments represent the places we’ve visited on vacation or the special events and traditions we experience throughout the year. From national park ornaments to one representing our wedding day to homemade creations from our kids, each is prized for its special connection to our lives.
That’s what drew me to DancingCanaryCo’s “Pet Family Ornament.” This artistic design can be customized to include names, hairstyles (for the humans) and up to three pet breeds on the ornament. The item is made of ceramic material and printed with permanent inks the company says will never peel or fade. A wonderful gift for all the members of your family, humans and pets alike.
7. Put your pet on a magnet
Looking for the perfect stocking stuffer for the animal lover in your life? Look no further than HoneyBeeCrafts “Custom Pet Magnets.” If you know a parent, or grandparent, of an adorable pet, these durable magnets are a constant reminder of the special pets in their lives.
They can put them on their fridge or in their office at work on any magnetic surface to show off their unique pets’ personalities. Available in four sizes from two to five inches, you can choose your pet’s full body, or just the head, for your magnet.
And at $7, these make for great stocking stuffers that will surely delight and surprise.
8. Put your dog on a mug
Want to let the world know that you are the parent of a cherished and loved pet cat or dog?
There’s no better way than to order a “Dog Face Mug” from KandVPrints. For $22.99, you can put the face of your favorite dog or cat on a mug with statements like “Finley’s Dad,” or “Ziti’s Grandma.” And you don’t need to limit it to your dog or cat!
Mugs come in 11oz and 15oz sizes in basic white with black, red, pink, blue, and green handle color options. It is microwave and dishwasher safe. although they recommend hand washing to preserve the design longevity. And they also make for great gifts for the favorite pet owners in your life.
9. Dog pillow
Does your dog have a preferred spot in the living room that everyone knows is hers? Why not make it official with TurnerandCoCreations “Reserved for the Dog” throw pillow.
With this simple statement, everyone will know the particular spot that is reserved for the favorite dog in your life. This 20-inch long and 12-inch wide pillow is $29.50 (with insert) and even comes with a removable, and washable, pillow cover. The words are hand painted and come in a multitude of colors. Reserve this gift for your dog on Christmas morning by ordering today!
10. Cat socks
And finally, what better way to keep warm next to your favorite cat than to pull on these fuzzy “Winter Cat Socks” from Walapu.
These fun socks are made of fleece and can be used to keep your feet warm while sleeping or awake all year long! They are a delightful way to show your affection for your cat or make for great stocking stuffers for the cat lovers in your life!
At $5.21 a pair this is the purrrrfect present to find under the tree or in a stocking this year.
