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Christmas

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Original poster

Fun ways of telling daughter her gift is a puppy.

108 replies

Skippersocks · 08/12/2016 12:36

We have been waiting for years to get a puppy and at last the time is right. We have found the right breed and breeder for us and will be bringing the pup home at the end of January.
On Christmas day, my daughter will be completely over joyed just to know we are getting a puppy. However, in the absence of the actual puppy, I would like a fun/exciting way for her to discover what her gift is. I have thought of a picture in a frame or a box of dog toys, but I would like to do something a bit more cryptic - she is 12.
Does anyone have any good ideas?

OP posts:
WhatInTheWorldIsGoingOn · 08/12/2016 15:43

Fuck me. Obviously she has thought about it. The puppy isn't coming until the end of January for goodness sake. And if the puppy is for the whole family fine, but I imagine the daughter is especially excited about wanting one. It's really nothing to clutch your pearls about.

I think the coat and boots idea is amazing. Would be such a surprise!

WuTangFlan · 08/12/2016 15:44

The Doggie Doo game so she can practice picking up after it!

WuTangFlan · 08/12/2016 15:45

Or the Soggy Doggy game.

Original poster
Skippersocks · 08/12/2016 15:45

Right. I am going with the calendar with date circled and going to wrap up her existing waterproofs with lead in the pocket.
The breeder is going to send weekly photos and video footage and so will give her the photo once she guesses/gets close to guessing.
I will report back after Christmas to let you know how it goes. I am predicting a bucket load of tears. I think she will be very overwhelmed and then the nesting instinct will kick in whereby she will want to get rid of every item in the house that she deems a potential chocking hazard!
Merry Christmas everyone.

OP posts:
ElfingHeck · 08/12/2016 15:50

Ahh, lovely. Happy Christmas to you all!

MissMarplesHat · 08/12/2016 16:26

Op you'd better come back in January with some pictures of dog Xmas Grin

FlappysMammyAndPopeInExile · 08/12/2016 16:26

Already looking forward to the update!

Can you give us a sneak preview by telling us the colour of the puppy?

StealthPolarBear · 08/12/2016 16:31

If she has a phone can you record a clip of the puppy barking and set it as her ring tone? Then call her at rhe relevant moment?

stealtheatingtunnocks · 08/12/2016 16:33

I'd love to do this for my kids.

It's not the right time for us, enjoy your puppy and I'll live vicariously.

Reality16 · 08/12/2016 16:42

i am not sure I understand what the big deal is about pup being a christmas present

This dog has been wanted for ages and the family is prepared for it.

That would be my problem with it ^^

The dog is to be a family pet, giving it as a Christmas present to the child in the family is a cop out.

IHeartKingThistle · 08/12/2016 16:45

Aw your DD sounds lovely.

Slightly nervous of admitting this now but my DC are getting rats for Christmas. We're picking them up from the breeder the week after Christmas. I'm planning to wrap up a stack of books. I do this all the time so they won't get it to start with but I've found 2 or 3 fiction books with rats as central characters and then at the bottom of the pile there will be a book on rat care. I think I might stick a photo inside the cover as well as I have a cute one from the breeder!

And yes they have been asking and yes I have done huge amounts of planning!

Love the dog lead in the pocket idea.

whimsical1975 · 08/12/2016 17:08

I think it's a wonderful idea to let her know on Christmas morning... how exciting for your DD!

I liked the idea of a calendar with the date circled when you're expecting your pup... if you do a hunt with clues then maybe you should include this as one of the clues because you don't want her to think that the puppy is at the end of the hunt and then it puts a slight dampener on the end surprise when she realises she's not getting it quite yet... just a thought.

All the best for your new addition!!

Revealall · 08/12/2016 17:38

Reality - It's to make up for the fact her DD's presents won't be so plentiful because they are getting an expensive dog. That's not a cop out.

FlappysMammyAndPopeInExile · 08/12/2016 17:42

I'm planning to wrap up a stack of books. I do this all the time so they won't get it to start with but I've found 2 or 3 fiction books with rats as central characters

Thistle Do NOT get "Batman's Notebooks" (also published as "Willard").

You will all be too frightened to enter the house . . .

(Makes James Herbert's "Rats" seem like Postman Pat)

FlappysMammyAndPopeInExile · 08/12/2016 17:43

BTW - I love rats - especially Dumbos. They're gorgeous!

Reality16 · 08/12/2016 22:12

Reality - It's to make up for the fact her DD's presents won't be so plentiful because they are getting an expensive dog. That's not a cop out of course it is. THEY are getting an expensive dog. The DD's presents won't be plentiful because of that. Of course it's a bloody cop out. Get the kid some proper presents and leave the family dog out of it.

IHeartKingThistle · 09/12/2016 00:15

Flappys Grin

Don't worry they're kids books and all lovely!

One is a blue dumbo and the other is a siamese top ear. So excited!

Sorry about the hijack!

user1477282676 · 09/12/2016 00:17

Surely a dog is a family thing? Not exactly something to give when there's nothing to actually give? Are you getting her other gifts too?

Imknackeredzzz · 09/12/2016 00:27

Totally agree with Reality16 that's a present for he family not a Christmas present for DD! Get her some real presents!!

Glastokitty · 09/12/2016 01:26

God there are some right joyless fuckers on this thread. One of the best Xmas presents I ever got was a kitten, I certainly didn't think. "Hang on, this is a FAMILY kitten, where's my proper presents?' And as for the whole no pets for presents thing, surely this just means don't give pets to people who haven't planned for a pet? My kitten gift was much planned and anticipated and carefully chosen, and didn't arrive until all the xmas excitement was over, and I think that's quite different to someone showing up with an unexpected puppy in their pocket!

MelchettsTinslyMoustache · 09/12/2016 01:46

About 15 years ago I took my dogs out at the crack of dawn on Christmas morning. On the way home I passed a young girl aged about the same as the OP's DD trotting along the road on a pony, the pony with ribbons and bows attached to its leather bits
To this day I still remember the sheer joy and disbelief on this girls face (and I still occasionally see her now, though the small pony has long been outgrown)
My point is that if that moment made such an impact on me, what would it feel like if you were the actual recipient? The fact the big reveal is done on Christmas Day makes no difference whatsoever, would people feel the situation to be totally different if the surprise took place on Boxing Day? And yes, the puppy is a gift when justifying the fact that the family are having a lean Christmas otherwise.
The OP's DD will remember this Christmas forever and I hope she enjoys many happy years with her dog Smile

ElizabethHoney · 09/12/2016 02:28

Melchetts.

I just shed a few tears at that story. And then laughed aloud at myself for being such a sentimental old spinster. Smile

user1477282676 · 09/12/2016 02:53

Kitty yes but the OP won't even HAVE the puppy to give! And not for a month either! Its a bit lame if you ask me...calling that a Christmas present.

3luckystars · 09/12/2016 03:03

Getting a dog at anytime around here is a big crime. Its the worst kind of crime.

A cat is ok. A hamster, goldfish etc. All ok. A pony is even ok. But a dog no. No. Absolutely no and dont even think about it because that is almost as bad as talking about it.

Glastokitty · 09/12/2016 03:12

user I don't agree at all. As I said I didn't get my kitten until a few weeks later, so my xmas present was a few cat books, a collar, some cat toys etc. It was still the best present ever as I'd been begging for a pet for years. I'm sure the child will get something to open on Xmas day, and then she will have all the excitement still to come.