We won’t see Halloween again for another year, but it doesn’t mean that our pups will stop wearing their costumes. This Christmas season, dogs on Instagram were seen wearing costumes, and it isn’t just your typical Halloween wear. These dogs seemed to play the Nativity characters — a scene in which Jesus Christ was born at an animal stable on December 25th.
Over 175 dogs joined in the festive Nativity photoshoot, which doubled from last year’s 60 dogs. The Nativity display aims to aid a disabled animal rescue charity. The group of dog owners has gathered on Instagram to classify the characters of Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and the Angel. More and more fur parents are joining their dogs to create a Christmas-themed photoshoot with them and “bring smile to people’s faces.”
Now, how did this Nativity craze around dogs follow through on Instagram? We have 31-year-old dog lover Hannah James, who thought of the original Nativity idea. It just started out with a handful of dogs back in 2022 with dog owners who met online.
According to James, people were really excited to take part and plan their dog’s outfits. It’s just something “fun and wholesome,” as you see many things on social media, but not dogs who are dressed as the Nativity characters.
James shared that her dog Alffi couldn’t care less as he goes out dressed like a reindeer, and he sits around all day in his outfit until she lets them go after. James said that if it raises money for a dog charity and it makes people smile, then why not?
RELATED: Why Hundreds of Bernese Mountain Dogs Make Breckenridge a Holiday Dream
How Did the Nativity Scene Play Out?
Each character was allocated to each of the dog owners involved in the Nativity plan on Instagram. The owners went all out and bought, sourced, and created their pet’s costumes. Here’s how each dog dressed:
- Mary is played by Biscuit the Dog, who is owned by Natasha from Aylespiry
- Jesus is played by Milo, the dog owned by Erin from Ayrshire
- Lastly, Joseph is played by another Milo dog owned by Ruby from Brighton
This movement is in aid of the Broken Biscuits, which is the United Kingdom’s leading disabled animal advocacy charity based in Lincolnshire. This organization has stayed for 14 years, even working with vets to educate a wide community about the possibilities of life post-injury.
The organization’s mission is to remove barriers that allow disabled animals to continue to enjoy their lives despite those accidents that happened to them. Here, they provide both the physical and mental well-being of the dogs that they shelter in hopes of bringing them to the world whenever they’re ready again.
Why Do We Dress Our Dogs?
Strolling along your favorite pet shop, you’d always see a section dedicated to clothes in mini hangers. Yup, those are dog clothes. You might be one of those dog owners who don’t dress your dog up as you question whether they’d be comfortable around it. Now, the question is whether it’s good or bad to put clothes on dogs, and the answer is it’s perfectly alright as long as the dog is safe and comfortable.
Reasons to dress your dog up might be due to warmth, safety, anxiety, and aesthetics. While it’s a known fact that dogs aren’t really accustomed to wearing clothes, it’s completely normal to see them fidgeting when you’ve dressed them up for the first time, so it’s important to take things slow while dressing your dog. Let them sniff the clothes first, or you may give them treats after they interact with the clothes.
RELATED: What You Need to Know Before Gifting a Pet This Holiday Season
From The Club
I found the Nativity costumes unique and appropriate for the holiday season! And the thing that makes them even better is the donation they’d be willing to give to the Broken Biscuits, which is a disabled animal advocacy charity. Truly, they’re bringing in gifts for dogs who need them the most, and that alone touched my heart.