Pets are wonderful.  They cheer you up when you are down, keep you laughing, and love you no matter what.  There is very little more heartwarming than seeing a child who has fallen asleep curled up next to a puppy.

Pets are a very common gift for children at holidays.  Puppies and kittens at Christmas, baby ducks, chicks and bunnies at Easter and so forth.  What child’s eyes wouldn’t light up at the sight of a brand new baby animal to hold and hug?  The promises to love, feed and take care of the new additions to the family flow like water.

The critters are soft, warm and fuzzy gifts for certain but, and it’s a big but, they all grow up and in just a few short weeks are no longer cute little puppies but big romping barking dogs, the cuddly little kittens have turned into large aloof cats.  The baby ducks and chicks are no longer soft and fuzzy, but big, noisy and messy, and those two bunnies, Fred and George turned out to be Fred and Georgia!

Pets are a long term commitment and buying a pet as a gift should be a well planned and thought out move not a spur of the moment decision based on emotional reaction.

If you are honestly thinking of getting someone a pet for the holidays (even if it is not for a child) be sure it is something you would do even if there were no holiday involved.

Make sure the gift fits.  If the primary responsibility of caring for the animal is going to fall to a young child you don’t want to get a dog that will quickly grow to the size of a small pony which the child wouldn’t be capable of handling.  You might also want to make sure you expose your child to other people’s pets for decent lengths of time before buying a pet, so if by chance they have allergic reactions to animals you will know before you bring one home for them to fall in love with.  This will also give you the time to  convince them that they would really prefer a turtle, lizard or something else that doesn’t have dander.

Keep in mind those animals, like babies, cost money way above and beyond the purchase price.   Food, leashes, food, collars, food and water bowls, training supplies, food, toys, vet bills, food, licenses and tags, and more food!

There is a great deal of time that has to be invested in most any pet and the holidays are not always a good time to be doing that.  The hustle and excitement of a houseful of friends and family may not be the ideal setting for a new puppy, kitten, or any other young animal.  A better idea might be to cut out a picture of the pet you have in mind and put that in a card and make sure the child understands that as soon as the holidays have passed and things have gone back to a normal relaxed state they can help pick out the newest member of the family.

More Christmas Gift Ideas…

One thing you can be fairly certain of is that you can always find a gift of movies, music or a book for anyone on your holiday gift lists.

Movies are sold everywhere from Blockbuster Video Rental stores to Walgreen Drug Stores.  You can find movies in convenience stores and grocery stores.  Many of the larger retailers, like Wal Mart, have bins of “bargain” priced movies and if you don’t mind digging through them you can find some really good movies at rock bottom prices.  If you aren’t bothered by the words “previously viewed” you can get some current hits for $8.00 to $10.00.   With a diligent search and good timing you can get some great new unopened movies off of ebay for a fraction of the cost in stores.   It’s also a good source for movies that are out of print.

Not sure what kinds of movies they like?  Perfect time for a gift card.  You can get a gift card for purchase or for rental.  A really nice basket to make contains a gift card for movie rental, a box of microwave popcorn and a few candy bars.

You can also purchase some great boxed gift sets.  Many of these sets, like the Lethal Weapon series, are made up of the Directors Editions which contain a lot of extra scenes that were cut from the theater versions and an extra tape with interviews, bloopers and other interesting information.   Have a John Wayne or Will Smith fan on your list?  There are several different boxed sets combining each of their movies or put one together yourself.

Not sure about their favorite movie, but you know they are addicted to the television show Boston Legal?  A large number of the television shows release entire seasons in a set format.  Does your spouse love watching Discovery Channel or The Learning Channel?  You will find many of their shows and specials can be found on tape or DVD.   Whether you are looking for VHS tapes or DVD’s you’re sure to find the perfect gift.

The same can be said for gifts of music.  There are music stores where the selection is enormous and like the movies you can find CD’s in just about any store you walk into.  With an idea of the type of music or the favorite singers you’re looking for you can put together a really nice gift without a lot of effort.

There are an amazing number of bookstores out there, ranging from the small corner bookstores to the mega chains with a café and reading areas that contain comfortable arm chairs so you can sit back with your cup of coffee and enjoy a good book.   You aren’t limited to hard or soft cover books.  There are also books on cassette tapes and books on CD’s.   There are even e-books that can be downloaded onto their computer and read that way.  Love stories, detective novels, horror novels, westerns, science fiction, biographies, cookbooks, instructional books, children’s books.  Your bookstore can be your one stop holiday gift shop.

When find yourself with someone on your holiday gift list who is difficult to buy for, sometimes your best bet is to go for something out of the ordinary.  Gifts that work to bring about harmony and peace in the environment are sure to please.  From simple gifts of  candles, crystals, and CD’s that play the soothing sounds of wind, rain and babbling brooks, to salt lamps, singing bowls and Zen sand gardens, the choices are plentiful.

You can choose jewelry made of amber, an organic gemstone that is professed to draw negative energy and turn it to positive energy leading to health and well being.   Most people, when they think of amber think of the honey colored or the milky white but amber can also be found in brown, red, blue, black and green.  You can also buy gifts of jewelry made out of the crystals for your astrological sign.  Chlorite quartz is another healing mineral said to cleanse ones aura and makes a gift that is beautiful to look at.

On the more unusual side would be a gift of a negative ion producing lamp made of salt crystal rock.  This rock  naturally ionizes the air by releasing negative ions (electronically charged molecules of oxygen) thereby removing things like pollen, dust and animal dander from the air.  The core of the piece of salt crystal is hollowed out then a light bulb is placed inside.  The resulting heat from the light bulb starts the ions flowing into the air.  Even if you aren’t interested in the healing qualities of the lamp, you end up with very pretty pieces to display on your dresser or end table.

We all know our moods and our health can be greatly affected by sound.  Dissonant , loud sounds cause tension and if too prolonged can cause ill health.  Other sounds energize the body and relax the mind.  Singing bowls fall into this category.  They are made from a mix of metals from the Himalayas, Tibet and India.  When you strike and/or rub the bowl with a wooden mallet the multi-octave tones that are produced will relax and heal your mind as well as your body.  Hand made bells called Rustic Noah Bells are believed to scare off bad spirits.  Hang them near your home for good energy.  The beautiful deep tone of the larger bells provides a superb sound to accompany your meditation.

In the Feng Shui shops you will also find a large selection of clothing to wear when meditating, books, videos, prayer flags and lots of different oils to energize the body mind and spirit.  You might also be interested in the Chakra Bears.  Legend says that when the sun shines through the mist in the Smokey Mountains it forms a beautiful rainbow.  Every twenty years this rainbow touches the earth and rainbow Chakra bears are born.   Each color has a different purpose.  For instance the blue bear will listen with endless patience while the yellow bear’s purpose is to make you successful.

Visit a store that specializes in Feng Shui products and you will find gifts of aromatherapy, incense, table top fountains, mirrors and plenty of books to explain the theories behind everything.