Maybe it’s an old wives’ tale, but it’s been a longstanding tradition in my house, since I first had a pet as an adult.

The tradition says that domesticated animals can be offered the gift of speech at midnight on Christmas eve, and the tradition also says it is bad luck to hear them conversing.  So, the rest of the tradition says you should bribe your pets with a special treat near midnight on Christmas eve, something they don’t get other times, to ask them not to accept the gift of speech.

All the years I’ve done this, my cats have never spoken anything but “cat”, so I’m going on with the tradition.  MaChatte thinks I should too, and what pet wouldn’t like a special treat, anytime?

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah,  Blessed Yule or whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year, as the wheel of the year turns on toward…