A dog’s first Christmas goes by quickly. One way to keep it is a small ornament with their face on it, hung beside the rest of the family, and unpacked again every year.
Fur & Love makes a Personalized Pet Portrait Ornament from the photo you upload. You can add a name and a short message. Below is how to choose a style, what to write, and how to think about holiday timing without counting on a guaranteed delivery date.
In this guide
A puppy’s first Christmas, or their first Christmas with you
Both count. A puppy born this year has an obvious “first.” So does a dog who came home from a shelter or a friend in March, or last week. If this is their first Christmas in your house, it is worth marking.
You do not need a perfect, professional portrait. A clear photo that looks like them — the expression you would miss — is enough.
Photo ornaments, not just a name
Plenty of ornaments can be engraved with a name and a year. Those are lovely. A photo ornament does something a little different: when you open the box next December, you see their face, not only a word.
That is why we print a portrait on our ceramic ornament, in a circle or snowflake shape, and why we also offer a Personalized Crystal Glass Pet Ornament if you want a glass-style keepsake. Both start with your photo. You’ll find them together in Holiday Gifts.
Ceramic or crystal, circle or snowflake
If you want a classic, familiar ornament that can take a colorful portrait, start with the ceramic portrait ornament. Choose the circle for a simple, close crop of the face, or the snowflake if you want a more seasonal shape on the tree.
If you prefer a clearer, glass-like finish, the crystal glass ornament is the one to look at. Either can be a first-Christmas gift. There is no wrong choice — pick the one you can already picture hanging next to the others.
If you would like something to sit alongside the ornament, the same photo can go on a few other holiday-friendly keepsakes. Each one is made to order from the picture you upload, and you can add your dog’s name.
What to put on it
Keep the words short. The photo is doing most of the work.
- Their name and the year — “Maple, 2026.”
- “First Christmas” or “Our first Christmas.”
- “First Christmas at home,” if they were adopted this year.
- A very short phrase you already say to them, if it still feels like them when you read it out loud.
You do not have to use the year. Some people prefer only a name, so the ornament does not feel dated. Others want 2026 on it specifically because this is the first year. Either is fine.
Holiday timing for 2026 (estimates)
Because every ornament is made to order, please plan for production plus shipping, and treat the timing as an estimate rather than a promise.
As our shipping policy explains, personalized items are typically produced in 2 to 7 business days. Standard shipping in the United States then usually takes 2 to 5 business days, so a typical U.S. order arrives in roughly one to two weeks. Holidays can add time. We do not guarantee a delivery date.
Holiday timing
Estimates, not guaranteed
Order by Nov 25
Made to order, 2–7 business days
US shipping, 2–5 business days
In time for Christmas (best chance)
For the best chance of hanging it on the tree this year, order by November 25. If you order after that, you can still request the ornament — just leave a little room in your plans, look at any faster shipping options offered at checkout, and remember that a first-Christmas ornament is still a first-Christmas ornament if it arrives in early January and goes on the tree next year, and the year after that.
More dog’s first Christmas ornament ideas
If you are still deciding, these small ideas can help the ornament feel like it belongs to your dog, not just to the season.
- Use a photo from this year. A picture from their first weeks at home, even a slightly messy one, will mean more later than a perfect stock-style pose.
- Make one for each pet. If a new puppy joined an older dog, a matching pair gives both dogs a place on the tree, so nobody is left out.
- Give one as a gift. For a friend with a new dog, ask for a recent photo in a casual way, or borrow one they already shared, so the surprise stays intact.
- Hang it a little higher. Puppies chew and happy tails sweep low branches, so a spot near the middle of the tree keeps it out of reach.
- Keep it for next year. After the holidays, wrap it in tissue and store it in its own small box, so it is easy to find when you unpack the decorations again.
A note if this is a first Christmas without them
Some people search for a first Christmas ornament because someone is missing this year, not because someone is new. If that is why you are here, you are welcome to use the same ornament as a quiet tribute, or to choose something else, or to wait. There is no required timeline.
Our Pet Memorial & Rainbow Bridge Gift Guide is a gentler place to start if you would like a little company while you decide. The Pet Memorial Gifts collection is there when you are ready.
When you are ready, start with the Personalized Pet Portrait Ornament, or browse all of our Holiday Gifts. If you have a question about a photo or an order, contact us.