Pet Christmas Stockings For Pampered Pooches

Christmas is the purrrfect time to show your pet how much you love them...or, at least to entertain yourself with cute Christmas decorations hanging in your home.

I've decided this year to get my cat, Wizard, his very own Christmas stocking. I've just begun hunting around on the web and found some amazing choices. It comes down to a choice of super cute versus amazingly cute. I'm sure my cat could really care less as long as he gets the treats inside the stocking on Christmas morning.

On my quest for the cutest pet stocking, I found more options than I had ever imagined. I feel an additional article brewing on how to "decorate your pet for Christmas"! For now, I'll stick to pet stockings.

A few notables of varying styles (all pictured on the right):

Ultra-hip high heel pet stockings that are inclusive of a stylish cat and a funky dog. These are from Flying Geese Fabric.

Traditional warm fuzzy paw stockings, which look so cute in multiples, I may have to go rescue a few more pets. (By the way, giving a home to cat from a rescue shelter is always a fashionable and great gift!)

Craft-inspired paws are created by Flying Geese Fabric. This website has endless crafts and handmade sewn goods. You may want to check it out for Christmas gifts for family and friends that love homemade aprons and blankets.

Retro Christmas decor stockings would look great with one of those silver or flocked Christmas trees. They look like they're right out of the 1960's with the mint green and white colors.

If you're on a budget or just feel like being creative, here's a very simple way to surprise your pet (or people coming over) with your talent! This is the most basic design, which you can embellish by sewing instead of gluing and add any other decorations you desire.

What you'll need:

• 2 large pieces of Felt
• Hot glue
• Glitter or yarn

How to Make A Stocking:

1. Lay the 2 piece of felt on top of one another
2. Draw out the shape of your stocking - wide areas are easiest to glue
3. Open your stocking in two parts, as if you are opening a book. The toes should be pointing away from one another
4. Draw a line of hot glue around the edge of one of the stockings, leave about 1/8" of fabric on the outside line of your glue so the glue doesn't show when you put the pieces together. Do not glue the top of the stocking!
   
5. Place the unglued piece of felt on top of the glued piece, while the glue is still hot. Make sure the toe is facing the correct way. Press down so it glues firmly to the first piece of felt.
6. Draw out your pets name in hot glue on the front of your stocking.
7. If you choose to use glitter, shake glitter over the hot glue, allow to dry and shake off
8. If you choose to use yarn, lay the yarn on top of the hot glue, allow to dry.

You can add all kinds of decorations to your stocking - including additional pieces of felt cut like Christmas trees, dog bones, candy canes, tinsel or buttons

Ideas for inside the stockings? Well, my cat Wizard, will be getting some Cosmic catnip, Pounce and a string toy for sure. For pups - endless supplies of biscuits and bones.

All pets should get plenty of love - more than will fit into any stocking!