Get Festive with The Dogs of Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring... except for the three dogs of Christmas happy to get into  their festive get-ups. Most of them anyway...

Meet Bruno, my reluctant elf, Widget, my fatty elf, and Jake, our very own Santa Paws. The Budman household has never been merrier, with these furry friends barking constantly... Begging constantly... But through it all I wouldn't want it any other way.

Bruno, my self-proclaimed canine Grinch, grumbled and growled his disapproval when forced into his elf attire. The hat might have been a bit too floppy, and the jingling bells didn't do him any favors, but oh boy, did he look adorable! A disgruntled elf, if there ever was one, but very cute for holiday photos.

Now, Widget and Jake, on the other hand, were all in for the festive look... As long as treats were involved. Widget, dressed as a pleasantly plump elf. The sweater was a little tight, but everything is on her.  Widget waddled around just waiting for her cookie compensation. And finally, Jake, our furry Santa, was more than willing to spread holiday spirit too, but only after nibbling on a few cookies of his own.

Christmas morning in the Budman household wouldn't be complete without Widget showcasing her gift unwrapping skills. With a wag in her tail, Widget tore through wrapping paper very enthusiastically.  It turns out, elves have a knack for gift unwrapping, especially when treats are at stake.

I'll be honest. The extra barking, cookie demanding and occasional accidents... It can all  be a bit much during the stressful holidays. However, Christmas just wouldn't be the same without our four-legged companions.  The dogs of Christmas. They bring a lot of laughter, and a little bit of chaos to our holiday celebrations.  After all, in the Budman household, it makes for a doggone good Christmas!

If you plan on doing any traveling over the holidays, here are 8 pet-friendly hotel chains so your four-legged friends can join you.

When I travel, I love being able to bring my dog Rocket with me. He's not a big fan of air travel, so I tend to bring him the most on road trips, but not all hotels are pet-friendly. I remember when I moved down to Fort Myers from Chicago, I didn't have my stopover planned. That night, I remember being exhausted and driving to 4 different hotels looking for a place for us to crash for the night. Our pets are our babies and being able to bring them with and include them in our plans. Whether you're traveling within the state of Florida, or elsewhere, you don't need the stress of worrying where to stay.

Depending on where you're traveling, finding a place for Fido may be easier than others. For instance, in the Midwest, Nebraska and Kansas are on top when it comes to pet-friendly accommodations. According to momswhosave.com, in the U.S. overall, 41% of hotels are pet-friendly, but compared to other countries, we don't even make the top 25. High-end hotels do seem to be more welcoming with 67% of five-star hotels welcoming our furry family members.

So how do you find pet-friendly hotels? I'm constantly looking and not all brands make it obvious. I prefer to book directly with the hotel rather than using a third party booking site. BUT, sites like Expedia make searching easy. I've made it even easier though and put together a list of 8 pet-friendly hotel chains.

There are over 3500 brands under Choice Hotels including Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Sleep Inn, Quality Inn, Clarion and more. All of these hotels are pet-friendly.

Every Motel 6 hotels welcome pets. In fact, if you're an AKC member, you'll even receive a discount.

Not all Best Western hotels are pet-friendly but over 1600 of them are. And not only do they accept dogs, but also cats, birds and other small animals.

There's over 1500 pet-friendly Marriott locations in the U.S. with brands like the Autograph Collection, Renaissance Hotels, Delta Hotels, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites, Fairfield Inn & Suites and more. There may be fees and restrictions on breed and weight, so make sure to check on that in advance.

Four Seasons is very accommodating to pets. So much so, that some of their properties offer grooming and walking services and even have a special doggie menu.

Kimpton hotels are very welcoming to pets. Not only do they let pets stay, but they also have lots of fun stuff for our furry friends like comfy pet-beds, pet food, water bowls, and more. Some locations even have a Director of Pet Relations-- fancy!

From coast to coast, there are 165 dog-friendly Westin properties. Weight restrictions and nightly fees may vary. But hotel guests will get, upon check-in, a doggy welcome kit with food and water bowls, an in-room sign, and a comfy dog bed. 

Many of Peninsula's properties allow dogs, but most do have a maximum of 2 pets. Some hotels will also provide food and water bowls and a dog bed.