Some people put a star on top of the tree. Other people put their dog on it.
If you are shopping for someone whose camera roll is ninety percent one animal, a personalized pet ornament is the gift that lands. It is small, it costs less than dinner out, and it comes back out of the box every December for the rest of their life. That last part is really the whole point.
Here is what is in the shop this year, and how to pick the right one.
Dogs — over 150 breeds
The dog breed ornament comes in more than 150 breeds, so this is not a generic silhouette that vaguely resembles a labrador. It is their breed. About 5 inches long, cut in layers so the shape has real depth, and the color comes from the wood itself rather than paint — you choose the backing color.
Add a small bone charm with the dog’s name on it for $4. Up to 15 characters, which covers most names and nearly all the ridiculous ones.
$21.99, made to order.
Cats — more than 40 breeds
The cat breed ornament is the same idea in over 40 breeds. Around 5 inches, layered wood, your choice of backing color, and the name charm here is a little fish instead of a bone.
Cat people are used to being an afterthought in the pet gift aisle. This is not that.
$21.99, made to order.
Farm animals — fourteen of them
The farm animal ornament covers fourteen animals, for the people whose animals have jobs. Same 5 inch layered build, same name charm, same choice of backing.
These are also quietly good for a kid who is horse-mad or chicken-mad, and for anyone who grew up around animals and misses them.
$21.99, made to order.
Exotic pets — thirty animals, and almost nobody makes these
The exotic pet ornament is new this year and it is the one I get most excited about. Thirty animals — bearded dragons, snakes, geckos, rats, birds, the whole under-served menagerie. 4.5 to 5 inches, layered wood, backing color of your choice, and a name ribbon rather than a charm.
If you have ever tried to buy a Christmas ornament for someone with a bearded dragon, you already know why this exists. The reptile and small-animal people get skipped by every ornament shop on the internet. Not here.
$21.99, made to order.
A few things worth knowing before you order
- Every one of these is made to order. Nothing sits in a warehouse waiting — it gets cut and put together after you order it. So give it a little time, and if it is a Christmas gift, order by early December to be comfortable.
- Names are up to 15 characters.
- You pick the backing color on all four.
- Everything arrives ready to hang.
Why I keep making these
Most Christmas ornaments are decoration. This one is a small portrait of somebody’s animal, and it goes on the tree every year — long after that animal has stopped being a puppy, and sometimes long after they have gone.
That is a different kind of gift, and it is my favorite thing to make.
Leave a Reply