Filled with sparkling lights and peppermint scented candles, the holiday season is all about spending precious time with family and friends. Not only do Xavier students spend time with close friends and distant relatives, but the students’ furry friends receive much needed love during this time, too.

With finals rapidly approaching and the stress of semester grades filling the air, our pets are needed now more than ever. Afterall, curling up with pets by the fire while sipping hot chocolate never fails to sound relaxing and warm.

Junior Maggie Hull says how her dog eats all of the Christmas decorations, “I always have to double check where I put the Christmas decorations because my dog is always the first one to find out where the candy is laying around.”

However, one way to keep the holiday season less stressful is to keep pets away from holiday decorations and sweet treets. With this short lists of tips and tricks, the holiday season is bound to be joyful, without any extra stresses from worrying about our beloved pets.  

1. Oh, Christmas Tree: Keep your ornaments at least a few inches above the height of your pet. This way, pets will not feel tempted to munch on any glass, and you get to keep your favorite holiday ornaments for another year.
2. Plug in the lights: Slow down there, holiday spirit and take a step back. Before plugging in a string of lights, make sure that a furry friend has not entangled themselves in them or that they are not in the process of chewing on a wire. Additionally, if not in a room, turn off the wired lights. Sometimes pets can be oblivious, and noticing an exposed wire on the ground is just too tempting.
3. Peppermint “bark”: Even though many yummy holiday treats contain chocolate, they are not so delicious to dogs. Many people know this chocolate rule, but keeping pets away from the dessert table is extremely important. Before you know it, your pet could be savoring a chocolate chip cookie, yikes.
4. Sorry Fido, do not eat that bone: Keep all “human food” separate from “pet food.” Giving a pet a bone from your ham or spicy food from your Christmas meal can be costly. Instead, opt for a delicious “bone” from Petsmart or buy a new chew toy from Target to keep them occupied.
5. Cozy, but away from the festivities: Sometimes pets need a little alone time, especially when Christmas meals mean inviting numerous family and friends over. Keep a room where your pet can retreat to that has a bowl of water and a nice, cozy blanket. Just like how you might want some alone time from your family, your pets might, too.