You’re beginning to scramble, looking for that special Christmas gift.

Of course you are.

December is flying along, there’s nothing under the tree for those certain loved ones and your mind is locking up.

Thank goodness there’s a couple who can help — Andy and Sonia Schumacher have just the thing for that Christmas morning surprise.

It’s what you’ve always dreamed about anyway ...

Alpacas!

Seriously, why be like everyone else and turn up with an alpaca scarf or socks?

Why not liven up the magic day with some entire animals?

They’re pretty, they’re playful — up to a point — and my gosh, you’ve surely felt how smooth and lovely their fiber feels, right?

Just think how excited the family would be if you walked a few alpacas into the back yard.

No, no, don’t worry. She’ll just be kidding about a divorce.

(Oh, and sorry, you can’t acquire just one alpaca for the kids — they’re herd animals and get incredibly lonely by themselves. In fact, three to five alpacas is the perfect gift, assuming you have a lot of space and time to give them non-stop love and care.)

Yes, we’re kidding.

Sort of ...

The Schumachers own the Seven Stars Ranch in the hill-and-forest country just east of Coeur d’Alene — just keep driving on Yellowstone Trail after you pass Tony’s restaurant — and they do have a herd of 30 alpacas along with mini-horses, goats, chickens, cattle and even two towering llamas to guard everyone on the 40-acre spread.

“We’re really not concerned about selling our alpacas,” Sonia said. “We’ve come to love them all since we got into this, and more than anything we just enjoy giving tours to people who want to see and interact with the animals.”

In fact, Seven Stars has a delightful guest cottage, and the Schumachers even rent out a couple of rooms in their own home – all through Airbnb.

“We’ve had visitors from all over the country, even the whole world,” Andy said. “They enjoy the animals, naturally, and people who rent the cottage, I think, are maybe looking for the peace and quiet of the surroundings.”

The odd thing, really, is that Seven Stars enjoys a steady stream of guests from far away — many through rave reviews on TripAdvisor — but as fascinating as the ranch and its inhabitants (both animal and human) might be, the place isn’t that well known in Kootenai County.

“That’s a crazy thing,” Sonia said, “because we do things with the community and we’d really enjoy having visitors from our own home town.”

ALTHOUGH Sonia and Andy try not to blow a horn about it, they often conduct free tours (the normal charge is $10) for children’s groups and other organizations like assisted living homes.

“Oh, some of the wonderful pictures we’ve gotten, and the amazing bonds that have happened with the animals with those groups,” Sonia said. “We just have a ball with it, and so do the people who come to visit.

“You know, the whole idea of this ranch was to have fun — for me, for Andy, for the animals, for everyone who comes to see us.

“We both worked most of our lives in Alaska (Sonia was part-owner of an architectural and engineering design firm in Fairbanks), but we loved this area.

“We really had no idea how it would turn out at the beginning (2009). I originally wanted to be around horses, but it’s not very practical. Our accountant actually was the one who suggested alpacas.

“They’re livestock animals, so there’s a write-off for the ranch, but you have to have a special feeling for them to make it work. I remember when I first visited a ranch over in Washington and I just fell in love with this particular Suri (one of two types of alpacas).

“That was the start. We bought a few and then we started raising them. They’re just fantastic animals, but you have to give them care all the time — and Andy and I are just the type of people who want to be doing things, so it was a great fit.”

THE RANCH might be best known for the alpacas — gorgeous items made from their fiber are available in a cute little gift shop — but the place truly does have a mixed set of animals.

“Everyone loves the mini-horses,” Sonia said, “and they’re just so friendly. They’ll come looking for you, to be petted and play around. The alpacas are great with people, too, if you approach them the right way — and we make sure that everyone knows what to do.

“They’ll even kiss you, although what they’re really doing is smelling your breath — but alpacas don’t like to be hugged. Our visitors need to know that because the animals are so cute and fuzzy (though they weigh anywhere from 140 to 180 pounds) that you kind of naturally want to put your arms around them.”

That move would be even less welcomed by the stately llamas, who are not only huge — they’re more than twice the size of their alpaca cousins, up to 400 pounds — but utterly and boldly beautiful.

The two llamas at Seven Stars (Raven and Laura of Glenmoor) do more than look majestic. They actually protect the herd.

“Llamas probably couldn’t handle something like a mountain lion, but they can take care of coyotes, and that’s what we see the most around here,” Andy said.

OH, AND remember that tongue-in-check reference to buying an alpaca?

It’s not entirely impossible.

“If we found someone who we believed would take wonderful care of our animals, and who had the space and resources,” Sonia said, “then we would consider selling alpacas. But so far, it hasn’t happened. I mean, I go myself to inspect places if someone asks about buying any of our animals. We’re pretty fussy. But there might be a situation where someone could buy some of our alpacas, I can say that much.

“It would have to be a few of them, though, because they have to be in a herd situation, even if it’s a small one.”

Neither of the Schumachers is in any hurry to sell, however.

That’s pretty clear.

These onetime Alaskans are perfectly happy with the ranch just as it’s running at the moment. It’s a lot of work, but neither one can sit still, so ...

“Andy’s always building things, and he can make almost anything,” Sonia says. “We go all out when we do tours or have guests staying on the ranch.

“We love sharing the joy of the place, maybe having a barbecue down at the fire pit, and we try to create a situation where the visitors love it, too.

“We want the ranch to be a win-win, and bring some happiness to everyone.”

ALPACA RANCH INFO

WHO: Andy and Sonia Schumacher

WHAT: Seven Stars Ranch

WHERE: 2885 Folsom Ridge Road

Coeur d’Alene

TOURS: By appointment only

PHONE: (208) 755-4925

EMAIL: sonia@sevenstarsalpacaranch.com

WEBSITE: www.sevenstarsalpacaranch.com

THINGS TO KNOW: Regular tours are $10 per person. Weather permitting, they can be arranged most times of the year, but only by calling ahead for a scheduled time.

The ranch is about a 20-minute drive from downtown Coeur d’Alene.

It’s best to wear clothing that you don’t mind getting dirty. And mud boots, if you have them. There are some boots available at the ranch in certain sizes.

Although most of the animals move regularly between a corral and open pasture, they are made available for interaction with guests.

The ranch also has a two-bedroom guest cottage and the Schumachers rent out bedrooms in their home on occasion. Contact airbnb for information.

There is a gift shop with various alpaca items like scarves and socks, along with various toys.