When Nalaysha Moore does her Christmas shopping, her family’s dog, Stormie, is on her gift list.
South Holland resident Moore has plenty of company when it comes to shoppers buying Christmas gifts for their four-legged friends and including them in holiday plans and festivities.
According to a survey by SoFi:
* 70% of people typically buy their pets gifts
* 27% of those who buy gifts spend over $100
* 47% buy personalized holiday décor for their pets
* 40% dress up their pets in holiday attire
It’s part of increased spending on pets all year round, which has jumped from $90.5 billion in 2018 to $136.8 billion last year, according to the American Pet Products Association. Consumers are projected to spend $143.6 billion this year.
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“She deserves it,” said 23-year-old Moore, when asked why Stormie, a cairn terrier, is on her Christmas gift list. “She’s our baby.”
Stormie is already enjoying an early present, a new Christmas décor dog bed, shared Moore, who works as a cashier at Petco in Homewood. Moore took advantage of Petco’s free Photos with Santa day at the store. The event was originally planned as a one-day affair Dec. 2.
“It was a huge hit across the company so much so we added a second day,” this past Saturday, said Michelle Reed, general manager of the store.
This year at the Homewood store, photos were limited to dogs and cats, she said.
“In the past, I have had people bring in their 20-foot snake to have its picture taken with Santa,” said Reed. “I’ve seen rats, bearded dragons. It’s mostly cats and dogs, but there are those exotic friends that have come in to see Santa as well.”
Petco has 500 different holiday gift items for dogs, cats and small animals, said Reed, including toys, apparel, accessories, edible treats and décor and gift-filled stockings.
“We have matching human and pet pajamas for dogs or cats,” which Reed said can be great for family photos. “We have Advent calendars. You can give a treat or toy as you count down the days to Christmas.”
Among the more unusual items are a 5-foot tall pickle toy, a 5-foot tall cat scratcher house toy and a 5-foot dog stocking filled with toys.
Most of the gift items are priced under $15, said Reed. But there are also higher priced items including luxury dog beds priced at $128.
Reed has a pet family that includes a Great Dane named Gemini; four cats, Gwynevere, Lancelot, Azrael and Raja; a ball python named Puppy; a leopard gecko, Falkor; and freshwater shrimp and snails. Reed loves this time of year and shopping for gifts for her pets.
“I couldn’t wait,” she said. “I’ve already taken stuff home, and they will get more.”
She couldn’t resist buying the 5-foot jumbo pickle for Gemini and purchased gift-stuffed stockings for her cats.
Veterinarian Dr. Marva Davis, co-owner and senior veterinarian at Calumet City-based Sibley Animal Hospital, said her American bulldog Barkley and three cats, Shark, Anabelle and Tiki, always get Christmas gifts. She suspects many of her patients will be getting gifts as well from their owners.
“A lot of my clients treat their pets like they are family,” she said. “I’ve got patients that come in all dressed to the nines, hair dyed, bows, nails done, designer clothing. I’m sure I have quite a few clients who buy treats for their pets and include them in their holiday.”
She noted one client shared she’s taking her pet to Arizona with her for Christmas.
Davis hasn’t started shopping for her cats’ gifts yet, but Barkley has already gotten a collar and a bowl set.
“The cats like to eat so they have snacks,” Davis said. “My dog gets special snacks too. He gets meat from whatever we are eating from dinner. The cats, we get little toys for them to run around and play with. Sometimes we’ve gotten the little laser light toys.”
Barkley gets toys as well.
How do her pets typically respond?
“The food, they are sitting there waiting,” she said. “The toys, the minute they have them they are playing with them. One cat likes to get in the boxes. It’s joyous. We laugh.”
Davis estimates she has spent a little over $100 on gifts so far.
“I’m not extravagant,” she said. “I’m a little more frugal because I know my dog, most of what I give him he’s going to tear up the same day.”
Asked why her pets are on her gift list, she responds simply “because they’re family.”
Sue McNamara, lead receptionist at Sibley Animal Hospital, shares that sentiment. She has two dogs, Brooklyn, who is a Rhodesian Ridgeback and boxer mix; and Cici, a mixed breed. McNamara has gotten them six toys and multiple treats including Santa Claus Christmas cookies, so far, she said. Every year, she gets them a Christmas ornament. She gets most of her gifts from Amazon and she puts them in gift bags.
“It’s fun,” she said. “I like making them happy.”
SoFi Certified Financial Planner Kendall Meade agrees pet owners are motivated to spend on their pets because they see them as family, and said for many couples, their pets were the first members of their families.
To make sure pet owners don’t overspend, it’s important to have their pets factored into the Christmas budget, she advised, including any travel-related expenses you might incur.
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Meade, who has two dogs, said when buying Christmas gifts for them, she buys them something that she’d buy anyway, like a new collar.
She recommends pet owners consider gift options other than toys, something she and her husband now do.
“Our dogs are spoiled,” she said. “They don’t need any more toys, so we got them a pass to the county park.”
They can take advantage of the dog park and hiking trail, she noted.
“They enjoy that way more than a toy. They go crazy,” she said.
For anyone on your list, including the animals, she said consider an experience that might be more memorable or valuable.
Francine Knowles is a freelance columnist for the Daily Southtown.