‘Have you been a very good boy?’ Santa now asks dogs, cats, parrots and pythons

Polls show Americans increasingly view their pets as family, and today’s Christmas cards leave little doubt about that. More than ever, they include animals. And more than ever, Santas long accustomed to soothing crying children must also know how to handle wriggling critters – at animal shelter fundraisers, at mall photo sessions, and at office parties that allow family members of all sorts, including the four-legged kind. (Karin Brulliard, The Washington Post)