Christmas stockings started as socks hung by the fire, and in Singapore they hang from window grilles, shelves and the backs of chairs instead. Many households now hang one for the dog as well, usually stuffed at the eleventh hour with whatever the supermarket had near the counter. It is worth giving that stocking a little more thought.

The usual contents, and their limits

• Treats: gone in an afternoon, and half of them end up confiscated.
• Squeaky toys: loved for a day, then de-squeaked and abandoned under the sofa.
• Festive outfits: worn for one photo, then wriggled out of.
• Generic collars with reindeer prints: seasonal by design, so they spend eleven months in a cupboard.

None of these are bad. They just do not say much about the dog receiving them.

A gift with the dog’s own face

A personalised dog collar is different because it is about one dog only. Little Red Cute prints your pet’s face and name into the design along the strap, so there is no metal plate and no engraved tag, just the portrait and the name worked into the band itself.

What goes into the stocking:

• Cut from PU leather: 47 cm around, 1.9 cm across
• One size for every dog, with a buckle offering several holes
• Sublimation printing, so heat presses the festive portrait into the band
• Cleaning means a damp cloth wiped along it; the washing machine is off limits

Because it is one size, measure the neck first. If you are unsure about fit, send the measurement to the shop before you order.

Ordering in the festive rush

December does not change the steps. Choose one cheerful, well-lit photo with your dog looking your way; a phone snap qualifies. Settle on a style, and the dog’s likeness takes shape, illustrated from that Christmas-season shot. The whole collar is then previewed for you, and payment comes only once you approve it. Until then nothing is produced. Collars are made individually in Singapore, so start in November rather than on Christmas Eve.

Comparing the two stockings

Picture two stockings on Christmas morning. One holds a bag of biscuits and a plush Santa. The other holds a collar with the dog’s face on it, which gets clipped on for the family photo and then worn on the evening walk in January, February and beyond. Both bring joy, but only one is still around when the decorations come down.