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Safe Ways to Spoil Your Pet Over the Holidays

Safe ways to spoil your pets over the holidays
If your household is anything like ours, making sure your pets are part of the winter celebrations is a must. After all, they’re family too, right? Fortunately there are many simple and safe ways to spoil your pet over the holidays, it just requires some special focus.

Pet Stockings

Animals like to open stockings too! There are plenty of ways to go about doing something like this without breaking the bank too. Whether you have a cat, dog, bunny or even a hamster- you can fill their stockings with bedding, treats and general supplies your furry friend uses year round. Not only will you be stocking up on stuff you’d need to purchase one way or another, but both the family and your pets will get to enjoy the joy of receiving a gift!
We always give our dog a new holiday themed toy- some specialty dog bones, and a dog bed to replace the one she wears out every year. Our kitty gets cat nip (she loves our barn mouse toy), crunchy treats and even her own cat grass plant!

Holiday Sweaters

This isn’t something we do but I see folks do it all the time. If you have a smaller dog who may get cold easily, it could be really fun for you (and warm for them) to be put in a holiday sweater! It probably can go without saying but not all animals are going to feel comfortable in these. Make sure not to force them into anything if they show you any signs of resistance- the point is to treat them not harass them 🙂

Special Snacks

Your pets probably will take just about any food you’re willing to give them- but maybe this is the time of year you can opt for the more expensive treats! Assuming your pet doesn’t have any strict dietary restrictions, consider new and interesting organic/all natural options you don’t normally purchase. They will love the change in consistency and may manage to find even MORE love for you! Always make sure the treats you regularly feed them have nutritional value- that way you can worry less about splurging a little around the Holidays.

Home Cooked Meal

Now as a rule we do not endorse feeding pets ‘people food’ but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t cook them a proper meal from items you eat! Something as simple as boiled chicken or turkey, rice and some frozen veggies will make your dog go wild with excitement! Cats may enjoy some cooked ground turkey (pate style) or tuna patties. Don’t feel like setting their digestive track into a tailspin? Maybe bake them some special pet cookies instead!

There are tons of great, healthy recipes online you can search for. Get the whole family involved and make it a new tradition! This is one of many great safe ways to spoil your pet over the holidays!

Protection

You may find this boring in comparison to the rest of what is on our list here but it is easily the most important way to take care of your furry friends. Make sure to keep ribbon, tinsel and general holiday decor safe and away from possible consumption. Avoid feeding them people food like sugary treats or breads as they are not necessarily safe and definitely not ‘good’ for them.
Also be sure to inspect any and all new toys- both ones that are intended for your pets AND children. Small pieces may become choking hazards for more than one member of the family!

All in all we have just scratched the surface when it comes to finding safe ways to spoil your pets this Holiday season, but we hope you’ve got a few new ideas to run with!

The Holiday Family Traditions You’ve Been Looking For

Holiday Family Traditions

It’s never too late to implement Holiday family traditions, especially during the winter season! You don’t even need to celebrate Christmas to enjoy quality family time that will leave pleasant, long lasting memories for years to come (though there are plenty of Christmas themes to take advantage of too!).

Watch Corny Movies

This particular idea isn’t exclusive to the holidays but you’re definitely more likely to find extremely corny movies! Few things feel as comfy as snuggling up with your loved ones under blankets while watching a laugh-inducing film. Besides, not every Christmas flick is pure trash- you may find yourself pleasantly surprised by the charming characters and warm storylines. Point is- if your couch is a predictable destination for you and your family this year- may as well share the screen with everyone else. My suggestion? Put all your devices in a nearby basket and set rules to prevent each other from being sucked into their feeds and timelines.

Exchange Christmas Pajamas

Every year my family looks forward to this. My mom is really great at sewing and years ago instilled the tradition of making each of us our own flannel pajamas. We always look forward to seeing what material design she chose for us- from flowers to cats- it’s always special. The best part is getting to open them on Christmas Eve so we can show off our new digs on Christmas morning as we enjoy the day.
While you don’t need to sew your own, you can certainly adapt this tradition for your own family. Maybe assign each member a person to buy PJ’s for- or put one person in charge and rotate every year. No matter which way you do it- everyone is sure to enjoy the extra festive touch to the holiday. Consider involving designs and styles that are not limited to Christmas so they can get year-round use of them (but always connecting them to the memories of your family and the traditions you all keep).

Hunt for Presents

You’re family probably enjoys a good Easter Egg hunt every year right? Why not bring some of that energy and spark to this holiday? If you have younger children, they will love the idea of hunting for their presents! Pick some clever hiding spots, incorporate ‘notes from Santa’ that have hints on them- and maybe save the biggest presents for the hardest locations. Instead of sitting by the tree all day- encourage some traditional game style activity.
Everyone will have a little bit more appreciation for their presents when they had to earn them!

Cookie Swap and/or Yankee Swap

If you have older children, perhaps in lieu of some of the more ‘childish’ traditions out there you could start something new! A family favorite on the farm is our annual Yankee Swap- where we invite our closest family and friends over for a night of fun. Everyone not only brings a present under $15 but also partakes in a pot luck dinner. After we eat we all pick a number (1 – however many are there) and start opening presents in numeric order. It’s always fun to see what people get, and how hardcore people are when they see something they want.
Want something a little less potentially barbaric? Go with the cookie swap! Everybody bakes (or buys) their favorite holiday cookies and brings enough so everyone can go home with some of each kind. Even younger families can enjoy this one- plenty of sweets to go around leading up to Christmas!

Pick out and Decorate the Christmas Tree

Holiday Family Traditions

When you have older children it can be hard to keep up with some of the traditions you may have had when they were younger. One way to keep some of the magic alive is by making a point of getting together every year to pick out the family Christmas tree and spend a few hours decorating it together. It’s a great way to go through all the old ornaments made as children and collected through life. Nothing is more symbolic than gathering around as a family with a mission to celebrate life, nature and beauty.

Pick a Favorite Dessert or Meal and Serve it Every Year

Some families scramble every year to decide what to have for their family dinner on Christmas. This year, sit down with everyone and talk about the meals they’ve most enjoyed over the years. From appetizers, main courses to desserts- have everyone contribute and then set the plan in motion!
Our family always has the same meals every holiday- but we often switch it up by assigning different people to make different things. That way there is always some variety in presentation and recipe. By instilling this tradition, mouths will start watering for next year even just a few hours after eating dinner! This is also a guaranteed way to ensure everyone gets something they will enjoy. Don’t let any one member of the family struggle with the meal planning anymore and everyone will benefit! Eating is one of the biggest holiday family traditions, might as well get the most out of it 🙂

Eco-friendly Holiday Practices: Be More Green

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Easy Eco-friendly Holiday Practices

A motto around this farm? Waste not, want not. There are so many easy eco-friendly holiday practices you can adopt this holiday season. Taking care of our environment isn’t hard to do but every bit of effort can help make a difference on a massive scale!

Here are some of the ways we aspire to keep our Christmas as green as the tree in our living room!

Shop Locally-owned Businesses

There are almost too many reasons to shop local mom & pop stores to count. From one of a kind items to directly contributing to your community’s economy – nothing feels better than putting your money where your home is. Not only are you more likely to score unique, high quality gifts but you are also cutting out the need for expensive and wasteful shipping methods.

Recycled wrapping paper

We’ve already outlined the many gift wrap alternatives to consider this year- but it’s worth re-enforcing. Whether you make use of old newspapers, calendars, maps or even fabric- avoiding traditional wrapping paper will bring more joy to the holidays (and the planet). There are many companies that now offer recycled gift paper but we’re partial to the concept of making use of materials you already have lying around. Take advantage of these easy eco-friendly holiday practices – especially when wrapping presents which is arguably the worst part!

Less will be more

How many years do you look at your living room after opening presents and realize you not only spent too much money, but you bought too much junk? Less really can be more- especially when every gift has a little more thought put into it. Consider cutting back on useless spending this year. A helpful tip? Ask yourself if the recipient of your gift will in fact, still be using or loving it in a year’s time before sealing the deal. Sometimes tiny useless trinkets help fill the space under the tree, but don’t last long before meeting the trash can.

Give money to charity or a good cause

A good rule of thumb for every Christmas is to set a budget. What if this year, you took a fraction of that amount and decided to donate it to a charity or organization that could really benefit from your support? Take a moment to consider what you value in life and see who is out there working for it. Whether it’s environmental conservation or sick & terminally ill children– people are out there every day trying to make a difference. Imagine how good you’ll feel when you’ve helped them continue their mission!

All-natural decorations

This one should be obvious but based on what I see everytime I go to the store I’m not sure most people think about this! There are so many ways to decorate your home for the holidays without buying that plastic crap! Wood, burlap, natural pine, poinsettas are just a few of the many natural options available to you.

Use Timers for your holiday lights & decor

Light timers have to be one of my most favorite inventions of the last 10 years or so. Quite frankly I use these year-round, but they’re especially helpful during the winter seasons! This is such a smart way to ensure you still have your lights and decorations lit during the optimal times. No more will you forget to turn them off before bed- wasting all that energy! Set the timer to come on during the most popular hours of the evening so everyone can enjoy your displays and to shut off after a few hours. This will not only help the planet but it will keep your energy bill down 🙂 This is one of my favorite eco-friendly holiday practices because it only requires your attention for 5 minutes and then you’re set for a good month (or however long you’re set up for the season!)

Make the most of your shopping trips

I’m the first to admit I am not always the smartest when it comes to time management. A few years ago I finally made the most of every single time I got in my car to go somewhere. Christmas shopping is no longer an exception. If you are headed out in search of a single gift- perhaps you could take a moment to consider the other stops you could include on your way so you reduce the number of times you’re buzzing around town? It may add a few moments to the intial outing, but it will save you gas, energy and time down the line!

Recycle all your wrapping paper & filling

If you decide to go with traditional gift wrap, be it paper or plastic- please please please recycle it. Ideally you are actively recycling all of your trash one way or another. Even if you use the wrapping paper to help build fires in your fireplace- at least you’re getting more than one use out of it!

Unique Stocking Stuffer Ideas

Check out this list of unique stocking stuffer ideas

Year after year it can be hard to keep the originality up when it comes to unique stocking stuffer ideas. Certain items like festive candy are staples. However it isn’t always easy to find the knick knacks that will have the desired wow factor.

Check out our take on some unique stocking stuffer ideas below!

Mason Jar Tumbler

Now this is something I know I would love to see in my stocking! Designed to look like an authentic canning jar, these Mason Jar Tumblers are not only cheap but also so charming! What better way is there than to show off your love for all things country with this? Available on Amazon, ~$10 & free shipping!
Unique Stocking Stuffer Ideas via Amazon.com

Touchscreen Friendly Winter Gloves

As a rule here on the farm we don’t necessarily like to encourage device use- but even personal experience shows these gloves would be handy. Nobody likes to need to take their gloves off in the cold weather just to text someone back or make a call. We’ve linked to one option but there are many different kinds to choose from out there!

Cable Keychains

Along the lines of device use and convenience, another handy trinket to consider are these cute cable keychains! Nobody likes being stuck somewhere without the proper cables to charge your phone or tablet! Even better, never again will your friends confuse their chargers for yours! Spice up the style of your keychain with this practical option.

Stress Doll

Widely known as the Dammit Doll- these are all the range among adults these days! These handmade, high quality & clearly very durable dolls are there for you when nobody else is. If yoga or daily exercise isn’t doing the trick, maybe these will. Comes with a complimentary, hilarious poem: “Whenever things don’t go so well, And you want to hit the wall and yell, Here’s a little Dammit doll, That you can’t do without. Just grasp it firmly by the legs And find a place to slam it. And as you whack the stuffing out Yell “Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!”

Bacon Flavored Candy Canes

Whether or not I can explain the phenomena, I think we all know bacon is all the rage. In fact, it never seems to go out of style. You could opt for the bacon cooker alarm clock, but we feel these candy canes get the point across while still endorsing the ultimate love for bacon. I haven’t tried them myself, but they’ve been well-reviewed! Treat a fellow bacon lover to something sweet and unique. The reaction is bound to be entertaining at the very least.

Headphone Ear Warmers

I think this is one of the better unique stocking stuffer ideas on this list. For friends and family who are often walking the cold city streets, riding the rails or outdoors a lot in all kinds of weather- I’m sure their ears get mighty cold. Why not give them the option to entertain themselves as the battle the elements? The link will take you to a women’s fashionable style on Amazon but there are many different varieties available out there.

Unique Stocking Stuffer ideas via Amazon

Good luck!