Oh yes. It’s that time of year again. Fall is here and winter is approaching and we all know what that means…holiday time is upon us. And with the holidays comes extra calories from delicious food and holiday shopping for friends and family. This year I’ll share with you seven unique holiday gift ideas for bereaved pet parents and animal lovers.
The first few suggestions are resources created by yours truly. The others are ideas I’d recommend or have personally tried myself and love. So with that said let’s get into the first idea.
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My Blog Shop (now closed…check out my post “Confession time: I failed…”
If you saw my recent Pre-Holiday Giveaway contest post, you know I have a blog shop with a few items for grieving pet parents. I have a small selection of necklaces, pendant charms and key chains all under $10. These gifts are great for those on a small budget or those looking for that little small token to show you care. They are great gift ideas for friends, co-workers or simple stocking stuffers. You can check out my blog shop here. Note: Enter code FREESHIP at checkout for Free Shipping. *USA shipping only.
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Redbubble.com – Impurrfectlife Art Studio
A while back I had written a post called The Healing Power of Art. I spoke of how I fell back into painting after attending a Paint Nite function with friends and in turn, it really helped me pursue an outlet that helped me find a place of healing after losing Dusty. With that revelation and with the support of friends, I opened my own Red Bubble shop with some of my own designs.
You can shop Impurrfectlife Art Studio where I have original animal-themed designs as well as Afrocentric art. All designed by yours truly. The best part is you can check out my portfolio of work and choose which design you like. My shop offers items for any budget. From stickers and stationery, to T-shirts/hoodies, mugs and phone case. There is something for everyone. One thing you should know is Red Bubble offers online discount codes featured every week on their site home page to help you save money! So hop on over and see what’s new. Shipping is worldwide.
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Zazzle.com-Kamira’s Art Studio
Another clever gift idea for the holidays and for the winter season are fleece blankets. Who doesn’t like to get cozy under a blanket with a nice hot cup of apple cider or hot chocolate? Even better you can get customized fleece blankets or choose from designs you love. You can see my selection of blankets on Zazzle website -Kamira’s Art Studio.
If none of those appeal to you, Zazzle has thousands of other options to choose from other sellers including pre-printed animal images or you can customize and upload your own images. And again, keep an eye out for online discount coupon codes on their home page to save money!
Animal Rescue site is a great resource to use all year round. I love their stuff. Also with every purchase made, some of that profit is used to help feed animals as well. I wrote about my experience with the Animal Rescue Site in another blog post called My Shopping Experience at the Animal Rescue site. They offer animal themed items from home décor, accessories, clothing and much more. They have great options for all animal lovers and great customer service.
A few months ago, Petsies contributed a lovely guest post called 5 Products for Pet Lovers who have Lost their Pet. One of the ideas, is one of their own- custom plushies! For anyone that is a fan of stuffed animals, Petsies custom plushies may be the perfect option for you. This company makes stuffed animals that mirror your own pet’s image and likeness. This is a great gift idea for both grieving pet parents as well as animal lovers. At holiday time you may consider giving a gift certificate to a recipient or order one for yourself. This is yet another unique holiday gift idea.
Another great gift idea for the holidays and any time of year is Pet Perennials. I wrote a prior blog post called Pet Perennials Healing Hearts Candle: A Review talking about my experience. I love animals and I love candles. This gift is the perfect merging of both ideas. You can read all the details in my blog post, however, essentially the idea of the pet memorial candle is your deceased pet has a message for you from beyond. What will they tell you? You’ll have to burn the scented candle and reveal a gemstone at the bottom to find out. The gemstone revealed will translate to a message. Pet Perennials provides a card with a list of meanings and messages behind each gemstone.
I loved this idea and think it’s a great gift idea for a grieving pet owner. And when the candle is used up, the gemstone can be kept as a keepsake. You can check out this and other products Pet Perennials offers on their website.
Last but not least, you can always customize and make your own gift! Are you the creative type? Not so creative? That’s okay. No matter your creativity level, you can visit Shutterfly.com and make your own masterpiece. You can custom make items as small as greeting cards all the way to throws! All you need is to sign up for a free Shutterfly account so you can begin creating your own projects. How about a calendar with your family and furry friends? Or you can make a yearbook of memories? The possibilities only go as far as your purse strings. Again, this time of year Shutterfly.com often has online discount coupon codes featured on their home page, so take a look and get started.
Those are my seven unique holiday gift ideas for grieving pet parents and animal lovers. I hope I have helped you think outside the box a little bit and also made it easier to cross off a couple items off your shopping list this holiday season.
Let me know which one do you like the most? Do you have any other ideas? Comment and share your thoughts below. Happy Holidays!
These are wonderful gift ideas, and very unique! I finally got my RedBubble store opened too. I pinned your beautiful art designs!
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
Thank you Cathy!! Congrats and best of success to you! Thanks for the Pin too!
I was completely surprised how much I missed my Yorkie the first Christmas. She died in May, and I hadn’t realized how much of my holiday traditions involved her. My husband drew me a portrait of her and the other two dogs we had at the time. It was the best gift I received and now 30 years later, I still cherish it.
Beth,
What a lovely way to remember her and your current furkids. 🙂
It looks like you have a lot of creative outlets, which is so amazing. I wish you the best of luck with your shops and art products. A very unique, and personal gift for any pet lover.
Thank you Heather!
Love those kitty slippers, looks like they are warm and comfy, just what you need for walking on cold floors in winter. Great gift ideas!
Thank you!
I really like the petsies. I might get one for my cocker, Chipper, who passed away last week. I noticed on one of Carol Bryant’s posts that she had a stuffed Dexter dog with her and now I know where I can get one!
Sandy,
So sorry about Chipper. Yes, you should definitely check out Petsies. I think they will have just what you are looking for.
Great gift ideas! They’re all so unique. The Petsies Custom Pet Plushies has to be my favorite. Shutterfly is amazing too! I’m sure anyone who received these gift items would appreciate and love them. Pets are family and it’s always hard when they leave us.
Bree,
So true. The holidays are always a bit more sentimental for me this time of year for that reason. Glad you enjoyed these unique ideas.
I what an interesting mix of things. I especially like the necklace and slippers. The necklace I would wear every day
Kim,
Glad you like. Definitely check out my blog shop!
What a unique and wonderful gift idea list for this time of year. Candles are always great and the slippers are super cute. Art can be very therapeutic as can tributes like paintings or Petsies (I’d love a plush like Kilo, it’s surprisingly hard to find black pug plushes). We are now making Pet Rescue Rocks with kids at events and soon schools. We have even sold a few custom ones and donated to rescues.
Thank you. That’s awesome you’ve sold some so far at the events. Nice!
Those kitty slippers are my favorite from the list. They are so adorable and seem warm enough 🙂
Monika,
They do definitely keep my toes warm!
A lovely post, especially to the pet parent who has lost a pet. I need to check out the Plushies because I’d love to have one of my previous Persian cat.
Paula,
Definitely check them out. It’s such a clever concept. Many happy customers.
A lovely post and a different take on the gift guide. So many people don’t really know what to say to you when you when a pet dies. One of these gifts would be a touching way to let them know you understand. It is lovely to hear that art helped to heal your heart break. x
Michelle,
Yes , so true. Dealing with death is hard and also very hard for people to talk about sometimes. I made this list to help give ideas for others. Yes ma’am art definitely helped heal my heart. I lost touch with art for many years and glad I rekindled that passion at Paint Nite.
This is the hardest time for all and my thoughts go out to everyone, but I am always thankful for having Baby with me through the hardest times of my life and though she left me a week before Thanksgiving in 2010 which was really hard I sometimes feel she did it so that I could start my new life with a new lil one so that it would be a new chapter of my life, and then Layla came.
Ruth,
I know what you mean. I really think just as people in our lives come and go and serve a purpose, the same can be said of our pets. They serve a purpose in our lives we will never forget. I’m sure Baby is smiling at you now seeing you flourish in your new chapter with Layla by your side. They only want us to be happy and at peace.
I like the idea of the candle and a gemstone “message!” Thinking of getting my friend one.
I think you’re friend would love it. I know I did. If the time comes, I would definitely give that candle as a gift.
That is a very unique idea to provide gift ideas for bereaved pet parents. What I really liked (and I still wear it) was getting a bit of Jasmine’s “living” fur shaved and placed in a pendant. I came up with that idea after I realized that when she was at ICU, some of the fur from brushing her served as a “point of contact” for me.
Jana,
I like that idea. Similiar to people who keep a lock of hair from a baby. I see nothing wrong with it. Keeping a small part of them with you always.:)
What a unique gift list! As a mom who lost 2 fur dogs even almost 2 years ago already i would love a few of these!
Jill,
Glad you liked these ideas. 🙂
Your selections are just superb!!! Thank you for sharing these! We just pinned you on two of our boards! (Gifts for Cat Lovers and Gifts for Dog Lovers) xoox
Caren,
Thank you so much! Happy you enjoyed this post and pinned.
So many great ideas and gift suggestions here! I had never heard of the memorial candles before. What a neat and unique product! Thanks for putting together this wonderful gift guide – I’m sure that everyone can find something they would like here!
Emily,
Thank you!
This is such a difficult time of year for those who have lost a pet. We miss them all year long but around the holidays the grief of pet loss intensifies for sure. We have always included our pets on the holidays giving them their own gifts, family photos which of course include them. The problem is that gaping hole in our hearts that some are no longer with us! This is a great way to immortalize our passed pets and great gift ideas for those who have lost a pet! I will check out your shop first!
Joely,
So eloquently said. Agree! Holidays are particularly hard. I’m glad you like these ideas.
Lovely ideas. There are so many gift guides at the moment it’s nice to find one that sensitively approaches the grief of a pet parent.
Thank you.
You’re welcome. 🙂
The holidays can be a difficult time when we are grieving the loss of a pet, but these are wonderful gift ideas. I like the candle and the idea of purchasing something from a rescue site, knowing that it will assist pets that need the help.
Kelly,
Glad you like these ideas. Yes I love Animal Rescue site for the same reason too!
Happy Thanksgiving Kamira to you and yours! Out of the blue, God has given me another gift from heaven! A chocolate Persian just like my little Wilbur but with his own unique loving soul. His name is Bliss!
Cheryl,
Happy Thanksgiving to you and Bliss! I love love love that name. How wonderful. So overjoyed for you to have adopted again. I’m positive Wilbur is smiling at you both, happy you have joy again. 🙂 Thanks for the update.
Thank you and you’re welcome! A friend saw Koko at the shelter and immediately knew he should be mine. I had to act fast but he is another little comfort and joy, so I named him Bliss. Sometimes Koko Bliss because Koko has been his name for 3 years. I believe Wilbur is smiling, this is another precious gift!