12 Dog Days of Christmas

Here’s Itty Bitty, Punkin, BoBo, Pookie

“Let it snow, Let it Snow, Let it snow…”

I love Christmas and I love my dogs. And here in the Aston house we don’t do anything normal — that’s just how we roll.  This includes the way every Christmas I dress up the dogs for their annual photo for my Christmas card.

Just look at these little Chinese monkey faces. OK, so they’re not exactly the happiest group of campers in this photo. The funny thing about their expressions in this photo is I can show you a half-dozen pictures of this Greek blonde girl when I was little sitting on Santa’s lap and I have the EXACT same expression on my face as my dogs. I guess the tinsel doesn’t fall far from the family Christmas tree, now does it?

Here is a poem that has been adapted from “A Puppy’s 12 Days of Christmas” by Elise Lewis. This is the kind of muckery that ensues around Christmas time in the Aston house.

On the first dog day of Christmas Punkin gave to me:
The Santa topper family heirloom from the Christmas tree.

On the second dog day of Christmas Pookie gave to me:
Two shattered mercury leaking CFL twinkle bubble lights
And the Santa topper family heirloom from the Christmas tree.

On the third dog day of Christmas Itty Bitty gave to me:
Three punctured ornaments
Two shattered mercury leaking CFL twinkle bubble lights
And the Santa topper family heirloom from the Christmas tree.

On the fourth dog day of Christmas BoBo gave to me:
Four destroyed sneakers
Three punctured ornaments
Two shattered mercury leaking CFL twinkle bubble lights
And the Santa topper family heirloom from the Christmas tree.

On the fifth dog day of Christmas Punkin gave to me:
Five chewed-up stockings
Four destroyed sneakers
Three punctured ornaments
Two shattered mercury leaking CFL twinkle bubble lights
And the Santa topper family heirloom from the Christmas tree.

On the sixth dog day of Christmas Pookie gave to me:
Six yards of soggy red velvet ribbon
Five chewed-up stockings
Four destroyed sneakers
Three punctured ornaments
Two shattered mercury leaking CFL twinkle bubble lights
And the Santa topper family heirloom from the Christmas tree.

On the seventh dog day of Christmas Itty Bitty gave to me:
Seven scraps of wrapping paper
Six yards of soggy red velvet ribbon
Five chewed-up stockings
Four destroyed sneakers
Three punctured ornaments
Two shattered mercury leaking CFL twinkle bubble lights
And the Santa topper family heirloom from the Christmas tree

On the eighth dog day of Christmas BoBo gave to me:
Eight tiny reindeer fragments
Seven scraps of wrapping paper
Six yards of soggy red velvet ribbon
Five chewed-up stockings
Four destroyed sneakers
Three punctured ornaments
Two shattered mercury leaking CFL twinkle bubble lights
And the Santa topper family heirloom from the Christmas tree

On the ninth dog day of Christmas Punkin gave to me:
My front door wreath in nine pieces
Eight tiny reindeer fragments
Seven scraps of wrapping paper
Six yards of soggy red velvet ribbon
Five chewed-up stockings
Four destroyed sneakers
Three punctured ornaments
Two shattered mercury leaking CFL twinkle bubble lights
And the Santa topper family heirloom from the Christmas tree.

On the tenth dog day of Christmas Pookie gave to me:
Ten Christmas cards I shoulda mailed
My front door wreath in nine pieces
Eight tiny reindeer fragments
Seven scraps of wrapping paper
Six yards of soggy red velvet ribbon
Five chewed-up stockings
Four destroyed sneakers
Three punctured ornaments
Two shattered mercury leaking CFL twinkle bubble lights
And the Santa topper family heirloom from the Christmas tree.

On the eleventh dog day of Christmas Itty Bitty gave to me:
Eleven unwrapped presents
Ten Christmas cards I shoulda mailed
My front door wreath in nine pieces
Eight tiny reindeer fragments
Seven scraps of wrapping paper
Six yards of soggy red velvet ribbon
Five chewed-up stockings
Four destroyed sneakers
Three punctured ornaments
Two shattered mercury leaking CFL twinkle bubble lights
And the Santa topper family heirloom from the Christmas tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas Bobo, Punkin, Itty Bitty and Pookie gave to me:
A dozen doggie kisses
And I forgot all about the other eleven days.

In my opinion it doesn’t get any better than the Christmas season.

Many Blessings,

Ava

xox