As the Christmas holiday period looms over the horizon, I sat wondering recently what some of my friends and their parents thought of the Christmas period. I wondered if and how they enjoyed themselves, so I asked a few of them. These are the first set of replies I have got. There are others I will put on here in forthcoming blogs.
If you had one chance to see one place in the world at Christmas where would it be?
Griff: Heaven, just for a day, so I could meet Charley and say thank you for helping your M&D find me.
Fergus: M spent last Christmas in Australia with lifelong friends, and she loved it. She’d love to spend it with me in a log cabin in Scotland.
Raffa: Santa Paws workshop, North Pole
Oscar: I would like to be in Santa’s Sleigh. That way I could zoom around the world delivering presents to all my pals and their humans and give them all a Christmas snuggle.
Beadnell: Bethlehem.
You can meet one person at Christmas, who?
Griff: Charley Beagle.
Fergus: Mum says Joe Lycett as she reckons he’d be a cracking dinner guest but I say Santa Paws
Raffa: Santa Paws
Oscar: This is tough. I would like to meet Santa Paws but Og met him last year and Og said that he smelt funny and had run out of presents. So I would really like to meet 3 special souls; Goon, Bean and Momma Boo
Beadnell: Santa Paws
Best thing about Christmas?
Griff: Turkey dinner.
Fergus: Mum loves the cold weather at this time of year, I’m not so sure. I love that many humans are happy
Raffa: Being with family
Oscar: Nut would say “Wrapping paper” but I would say extra noms
Beadnell: Noms
Worst thing about it?
Griff: We love Christmas Day so our answer is nothing.
Fergus: Mum & I will not be spending Christmas together this year, again: she is going to a friend’s and they have elderly cats. So it will be sad to not be together but I am going to my amazing holibobs home and Mum says we’ll have our Christmas the weekend after. It’s also very sad to think about all the humans and furs that are alone, lonely or without homes.
Raffa: Washing up.
Oscar: Knowing that there are dogs and humans that are alone and sad
Beadnell: Disruption
Sprouts or no sprouts?
Griff: Sprouts – with turkey gravy
Fergus: Mum says YES! I say no thanks love.
Raffa: Sprouts for Mum, none for me
Oscar: We love sprouts especially when they’re mixed with bacon.
Beadnell: Sprouts but not for me for fear of farting
One gift you could give to one friend?
Griff: I would turn back the clock and give a fit and healthy Pruny back to auntie Carolina.
Fergus: A brand new ball to play with and have lots of fun all year round! Or, until you dead it
Raffa: Life
Oscar: I would like to give a Skype call to the Rainbow Bridge to anyone that wants one.
Beadnell:Time
Something you would like to receive?
Griff: I have everything I need, so I would like to hear that all animal testing has been stopped at Midnight on Christmas Day.
Fergus: Mum would like new running trainers; I would like lots of fishy treats
Raffa: Good health
Oscar: A Skype call from the Rainbow Bridge
Beadnell: Understanding
Best Christmas song?
Griff: Fairytale of New York
Fergus: Mum can’t decide between “Fairytale of New York” by The Pogues or that Slade song. I like the ones that make M happy and dance like a loon as I then join in with her and we have a lot of fun
Raffa: Driving home for Christmas
Oscar: Fairytale of New York
Beadnell: Anything choral or happy.
Do you think Christmas has lost its meaning?
Griff: Yes
Fergus: Mum says she thinks it has. It’s so commercial for so many. She is looking forward to spending time with friends, being with them and not thinking about other worldly worries.
Raffa: Yes
Oscar: Maybe just a little bit, which makes my Mum sad
Beadnell: Only if you let it.
Has it been watered down into a purely commercial thing?
Griff: To a large degree yes, but not entirely.
Fergus: Mum says not purely but definitely very commercial.
Raffa: Yes
Oscar: We don’t think so but that is dependant on the humans who try to make it that way
Beadnell: Only if you let it.
Do you wear reindeer ears at Christmas, or should they stay on the reindeer?
Griff: Mum has reindeer ears for Boot and myself. We do our best to shake them off and avoid wearing them.
Fergus: I think they should stay on the reindeer, pal. It’s bad enough Mum gives me a Christmas jumper!
Raffa: I wear various headwear at Christmas.
Oscar: I sure wish they would stay on the Reindeer
Beadnell: Antlers are for Reindeer
New Years Resolution or are they a total waste of time?
Griff: Waste of time
Fergus: Not if they’re the thing that gives you a focus. Mum says she “resolves to be the same fabulous, foul-mouthed person she always is” and it works out just fine.
Raffa: Resolution but it needs to be achievable not silly.
Oscar: Nothing is ever a waste of time but we dont make resolutions cos we can’t keep them
Beadnell: The middle of winter is not the best time to deprive yourself and do tough things: only humans would do that.
Bring back one thing about Christmas past?
Griff: Snow. A white Christmas should be compulsory
Fergus: Snow
Raffa: Great Grandma
Oscar: Mum says Naivety – when Christmas was super exciting and magical like when she was a little girl
Beadnell: Everyone Over The Rainbow Bridge for Christmas Day
Home Alone or A Christmas Carol?
Griff: A Christmas Carol
Fergus: Neither. Mum says Elf
Raffa: Home Alone
Oscar: Home Alone
Beadnell: A Christmas Carol
Would you rather have Christmas with friends or with your parents?
Griff: Parents, but all our friends would be invited.
Fergus: Mum spends Christmas with friends. She says next year she will make sure it’s not with cat friends.
Raffa: Friends
Oscar: Everyone, friends and family. That would be a pawsome pawty
Beadnell: Friends
Do you get turkey shares?
Griff: Silly question. Of course.
Fergus: Mum is a vegetarian so never turkey.
Raffa: No, but maybe this year
Oscar: Don’t you?
Beadnell: Of course
Do you think you will have snow at Christmas? Do you like snow at Christmas?
Griff: Probably not, but we love snow at Christmas
Fergus: Maybe, there is already snow here where I live. We love it, however mum isn’t so keen on driving through it though.
Raffa: No, but I like it
Oscar: Probably not, probably rain, but we would like a white Christmas. We love snow, any time. We like to pee in it and make it yellow.
Beadnell: Not in Northumberland. And I am not that keen on anything that wets my paws
Cluedo or Scrabble? Who wins?
Griff: Scrabble. Griff = 2+1+1+4+4 = 12 points, Boot = 3+1+1+1 = 6 points, so Griff wins.
Fergus: Mum loves both. She gets competitive with both too! This is the first time she’s spending Christmas with these friends so she’s not sure who will win, but she’ll be trying her best!
Raffa: Cluedo
Oscar: Cluedo, Mum wins. She always wins.
Beadnell: Neither.
Trivial Pursuit or Monopoly? Who wins?
Griff: Trivial Pursuit and mum would win
Fergus: Monopoly to be played properly, but the Trivial Pursuit questions are fun to answer anyway. Mum always picks the Scottie piece in Monopoly, naturally.
Raffa: Trivial Pursuit
Oscar: Monopoly. Dad wins. Sometimes.
Beadnell: Monopoly
Fairy or a star on top of the Christmas Tree?
Griff: Star
Fergus: Star
Raffa: Star
Oscar: We have 2 trees, one with a star and the other with a fairy.
Beadnell: Polar Bear
Dexter 