Adorable Christmas Tree Pom-Pom Hat

About this set

Two pieces rather than one costume. A short hood that goes over the head and a rounded bib that sits on the chest, each with its own tie, so you can put the whole thing on for a photograph or just the hood when the animal has had enough. The tree version has openings cut for the ears so they sit upright instead of being pinned flat, which matters more than it sounds. Cats and small dogs, two sizes, green or red.

The hood

Soft fabric with a face opening that keeps the eyes, nose and mouth clear, so the animal can still see what it is doing. The ear openings let the ears through rather than folding them down underneath, and the tie under the chin is there to take up slack rather than to hold the hood tight. Colourful pom-poms, a small star and a character face do the rest of the work.

The bib

Rounded, and cut to sit on the front of the chest rather than around the neck, with its own tie strap. That is where the raised character detail and the embroidered accents live, which is also where a camera ends up pointing. It works with the hood, and it works on its own when you want the smallest possible amount of costume on the animal.

Two sizes, two colours

Small is cut for pets weighing roughly one to four kilograms and Large for four to eight. Green or red. If your animal sits between the two, take the larger size and use the chin tie to take up the difference. Before anything is left on, check that the animal can move its head freely and breathe without effort, and watch for a paw coming up to work at the fabric.

What it is actually for

Photographs, mostly. Christmas cards, the morning of the twenty-fifth, a few minutes in front of the tree while everybody is still dressed. A cat will tolerate a hood for about as long as it takes to take the picture, and a small dog, depending on the dog, a good deal longer. The set is built around that window rather than around a full day of wear.

Specifications

Type	Pet hood and bib set
Suited to	Cats and small dogs
Sizes	Small (1 to 4 kg) and Large (4 to 8 kg)
Colours	Green or red
In the box	1 hood with ear openings and 1 matching bib

Putting it on

1. Hood first

   Guide the ears through the openings before tying anything, then settle the face opening flat.

2. Then the bib

   Centre it on the chest and tie the neck strap loose enough to slide two fingers underneath.

3. Keep it short

   Ten or fifteen minutes is usually the limit for a cat, and it is plenty for a photograph.

4. Never leave it on unattended

   Take both pieces off at the first sign of the animal working at them with a paw.

In the box

• 1 hood with ear openings
• 1 matching bib
• Both in the colour and size you choose

Care

Hand wash in cool water and let both pieces dry flat, because the raised character detail will not enjoy a tumble dryer. Fasten the ties before the pieces go in the water so they do not knot themselves together, and reshape the face opening while it is still damp.

Fit and safety