Christmas is a great opportunity to share the fun, joy, and magic of the season with our pets. And maybe spoil them a little. If you’re looking for fun activities to do with your furry friends during the holidays, we’ve got you covered.

On the days leading up to the big celebration, you can consider buying or making your own advent calendar for the four-legged members of your family. Many pet shops carry them to make your companions feel included in the magical spirit. Unfortunately, they’re usually available for the most common household animals, like cats and dogs, so if you wish to surprise your bunny, guinea pig, or hedgehog, you’ll have some DIYing to do.

Usually, stores at that time of the year sell empty advent calendars that you can fill with treats or toys for the specific needs of your pet. Or, if you wish, you can make them totally from scratch with just a few materials, like this one just here. You can include home-baked delicacies in there as well. Plenty of yummy recipes are posted online that cater to a wide range of animals and their diets. For example, you can try making raisin wheels from hay for bunnies or salmon sweet potato cake for cats.

Something else you can do is take them on a snowy outing. Most dogs and even some cats enjoy running and playing in it. Snow angels, zoomies, or a game of fetch will surely build up that appetite before Christmas dinner. But if you live where it doesn’t snow, another option is to take them to see all the beautiful lights and decorations that your neighbors have decked out for the occasion. You might also choose to go on a fun road trip and introduce them to the white stuff falling from the sky; this way, you can make some unforgettable memories.

Another fun activity to include your beloved animal in is to dress them up in their cutest attire. Christmas sweaters, ribbons, Santa hats, and bow ties—there are plenty of options to choose from. If you’re feeling extra, you can even get matching outfits to twin with your pet. Just make sure that they’re feeling extra comfortable wearing it.

And while you’re at it, make sure to snap a quick picture. Having a fun image of your pet that could be framed in your house or used as a holiday card can be a very delightful and rewarding experience. But you might have to be really patient, as not all pets are up for it. In fact, some will do anything within their power to outsmart you and run away.

A couple of tips from Crimson Cat Studios on photographing your pets include taking some time to create a Zen environment and paying attention to what they like. Choose a place that is familiar, comfortable, and quiet, so your model feels at ease. The trickiest part might be getting your companion to pose or look straight into the camera. For this, you can try holding something interesting above it. It can be a squeaky toy, a treat, or anything else they love. There’s even a “Pooch Selfie” attachment that looks like a tennis ball and squeaks when you squeeze it.

Even though between 3.5 and 4.1 million dogs and cats are adopted annually in the U.S., there are still many more who spend the holidays in shelters and need some festive joy. To help them, you can take your furry friend and go shopping for necessary items on your local animal shelter’s wish list. Delivering packed baskets of treats, toys, beds, and other staples can make a world of difference.

We hope we inspired you to try something new and festive with your pet for the next holiday season and snap a couple of pictures while you’re at it, just like the people on the list. May the following year be full of snowy escapades and freshly baked treats!

Let’s also not forget to extend the Christmas cheer to our furry friends in need. After all, the holidays are all about giving back.