Holiday Gift Guide

P et lovers don't just think of their dogs and cats as a human's best friend. They're full-fledged members of the family, and at Christmas, they're always exempt from naughty-or-nice lists. Canadians lavish more love and attention — and loonies — on their pets each year, pampering them with everything from gourmet food to designer fashions and spa days. Smart retailers are gearing up for a busy season, with new arrivals of holiday-themed toys, organic treats and gay apparel for the four-legged set. And pet owners appreciate gifts that recognize their love for all creatures great and small, too. For the special dog in your life, toys run the gamut from plush snowmen and squeaky Christmas trees to chewy reindeer. HomeSense has gingerbread man-shaped rope toys and bone-embossed toy storage baskets, deluxe indoor animal teepees, and treats for proud pet "parents." Surprise them with snack plates adorned with pup's portraits, doggy lunch bags and gift sets that include mugs, pet bowls and a dog-biscuit mix for holiday barkers and bakers. It's a safe bet that Rover and Fluffy would not ask Santa to bring them reindeer antlers, elf hats or any other humiliating headgear, but a new pair of booties or a stylish jacket wouldn't go amiss. You can pick up a classic festive sweater or a woollen hoodie at Marshall's for under $20, or cruise the increasingly wide range of fashion options at any pet supply store. Hip Pooch for the Modern Dog, on Corydon Avenue, even offers pyjamas and heavy-duty parkas for the well-dressed canine, along with cushy beds and accessories from blingy collars to leashes. For the feline who has everything, you can't go wrong with almost anything in a catnip scent, preferably something soft and conducive to napping. No fancy wrapping required; just leave the box. Most pet-centric stores also carry pre-packed stockings stuffed with toy mice, festive jingle balls and mini catnip pillows to take the guesswork out of shopping. For hep cats, there's the DJ Cat Scratching Pad. Available from Amazon.ca for $37.70, it has a spinning turntable and moveable arm to add a touch of authenticity. Take a snapshot of that DJ kitty and you can turn it into a personalized T-shirt, calendar or even framed canvas art with the click of a mouse at Don's Photo. Kitties who like to bring home gifts of pet mice have a seasonal alternative in the Our Name is Mud Meowy Cat Ornament — a tree ornament from Bed Bath & Beyond that includes a message "from the cat." And there's a plethora of reading material for cat people who enjoy a good in-joke. I Could Pee on This: And Other Poems by Cats, ghost-written by Francesco Marciuliano, features the classics Closed Door and Why Are You Screaming? Wrap it up with Marciuliano's I Knead My Mommy: And Other Poems by Kittens or You Need More Sleep: Advice from Cats. (For canine readers, there's I Could Chew on This: And Other Poems by Dogs.) During the season of giving, we like to think of the less fortunate, and that includes animals. You can pick up a copy of Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre's educational fundraising book Wildlife in Your Backyard: If You Care — Leave It There, from McNally Robinson Booksellers. And the Winnipeg Humane Society gift shop is a good place to stock up on toys, treats and accessories, as well as books, pet first-aid kits, carriers and beds. Our feathered friends will appreciate outdoor decor from Anthropologie, such as an edible birdhouse decked out in festive seeds. Once the seeds have all been eaten, you'll be left with a six-inch tall wooden house for nesting birds, and it will be even more attractive if you pick up a bird garden seed kit to provide a summer food source next year. An edible seed and pecan wreath is another nice touch – just hang it somewhere other than your front door if you want to avoid small messes. ❆ of authenticity. N aughty or nice, chances are great that you won't be receiving a lump of coal this Christmas. A recent poll by Ebates. ca found that spending is expected to be up across nearly all categories as compared to last year. The top items that Canadians are shopping for this holiday season, in-person or online, include clothing and accessories (76 per cent), electronics (61 per cent), books (56 per cent), toys (53 per cent), health and beauty products (52 per cent) and sports and exercise gear (31 per cent). Over a quarter of Canadians say that their spouse is the hardest to shop for. Men in particular say they struggle with what to buy their wife (38 per cent say their wife is hardest to buy for compared with 23 per cent of women who say their husband is the hardest to buy for). Perhaps that's why almost a quarter say they plan on leaving their holiday shopping to the last minute. In fact, the stereotype of the last-minute male shopper is based on some truth, with men significantly more likely than women to describe their shopping style as last minute (26% vs. 16%). According to the annual Accenture Canada Holiday Shopping Survey, 39 per cent of Canadian shoppers plan to spend more on their holiday shopping than last year — a five-point increase. The survey also found that Canadian consumers will be guided by their conscience — considering a retailer's reputation for working conditions, buying policies, community involvement and ethics before opening up their wallets. Among the additional trends identified by the survey, nearly half (45 per cent) of Canadian consumers said they plan to purchase from local brands, more than those who said they plan to purchase from American or international brands (37 per cent and 19 per cent, respectively). Purchasing from Canadian brands is more important to older consumers: Canadians over 60 were six times as likely as those 18-24 years old to say they will do a majority of their shopping with local brands (54 per cent versus nine per cent). ❆ Hep cats can enjoy a peticure and look cool while they're at it with the DJ Cat Scratching Pad. A holiday-themed sweater from Marshall's will make your dog's day, and HomeSense has all the bases covered with an indoor teepee, gingerbread rope toy, bowls, mugs and snack plates for pet people. Surprise someone special with a funny ornament from the cat and check out festive treats for the birds at Anthropologie. 5

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