Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph aren’t the only animals that get to have their pictures taken with Santa.
While most ‘parents’ bring their kids to the mall to take pictures with the jolly man from the North Pole, others take along their family pets for some very festive photos.
And barring any allergies, this can mean a whole lot of upsides for Mr. Claus: Smokey the Cat is a lot less likely to throw a temper tantrum, Buddy the dog definitely won’t ask for an Xbox, and Myrtle the turtle probably will not pick its nose as the camera snaps away.
Not to mention, most pets are less likely to have an accident in Santa’s lap.
This year, social media users have posted pictures of all their beloved animals with St. Nick himself — including dogs, cats, turtles, guinea pigs, ferrets, hedgehogs, and even a kangaroo.
A ruff Christmas! Pet owners are bringing man’s best friend to pose with Santa
‘I want a new chew toy!’ The pups are sitting on Santa’s lap for photos (but probably aren’t sharing their wish lists)
Hop on his lap! Jim and Joyce Kramer, the owners of Kramer Livestock Farm, even brought their kangaroo Nelson
Furry Christmas sweaters: Some owners even dress their pets up for the occasion
Meow have you been naught or nice? Cats are also visiting Santa
A new litter box… under the tree? The pictures make for some very cute holiday cards
Rodents like Santa too! At least one person even brought along pet guinea pigs
The owner of these two ferrets, Zazu and Meeko, said they told Santa they’d been good
Though the pets may not have given Santa shopping lists, these beloved animals can probably expect gifts this year
Coming out of his shell! This turtle seemed comfortable enough to pose for a picture
Festive! One pet owner even brought a hedgehog, which was dressed up with a bow
Having a purr-fect holiday! Despite the fun, not every animal looked like it enjoyed itself
Good boy! This Golden Retriever wore his snazziest sweater for the occasion
Who is this guy!? Some pet owners even imaged what their pets were thinking, joking that they were scared or excited
Some animal shelters and pet stores even have their own Santas
Score! This lucky guy got to meet both Mr. AND Mrs. Claus
I thought there’d be reindeer? This pup stole the show in his photo