- Nov
- 24
The Vegan Grandmother’s Thanksgiving Resolution:Educate and Enjoy!
Posted by Michelle Rivera at 5:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
A Facebook friend of mine posted a link on his wall that showed a video of turkeys spirits like me. But among the encouraging observations were a few lines from someone who just had to mention how tasty turkeys are and throw in a few lines about his consumption of canines as well. We all know the type!
I bring this up because I bet that some of you are dreading the upcoming holiday meal instead of looking forward to spending time with family because there is usually someone just like that who will be waiting to pounce on the first sign of compassion you exhibit. Maybe it’s when you slice up your delicious Tofurky and are just settling in to enjoy it. Or maybe it’s when a slight trace of pain crosses your face when you first see that dead animal being removed from the oven. Whenever it is, you know it’s coming. So what do we do to prepare for it?
Here are some ideas to help you get in the right frame of mind when faced with a less than vegan-friendly company at a holiday meal.
First, get your menu ready. Research all the wonderful alternatives to turkey that are available to those who are willing to look for them. I was in Publix the other day, a large-scale chain supermarket here in the Southeast, and was surprised and delighted to find that they were stocking Tofurky for the holidays. This means no special trips to a more expensive specialty health-food store. Silk Nog is another treat offered this time of year that, when sprinkled with a little nutmeg, tastes better than (and is so much healthier than) the dairy version made with eggs derived from hens confined to battery cages. Virtually all the traditional “sides,” from mashed potatoes to that popular green bean casserole, can be made vegan.
Once you have your menu set, things will begin to look a little brighter. By incorporating these once-a-year specialty dishes into your Thanksgiving festivities, you will be able to educate others about how cruelty-free food can be incredibly tasty.
I also like to plan something for the family that will educate as well as entertain. Knowing that there will be children in the mix, I always have an animal-friendly, humane-education game or craft to play with them. No sense wasting an opportunity to teach the little ones kindness! Materials for games and crafts can be found at TeachKind. Crafts can be as simple as making turkeys from paper plates and outlines of kid’s hands and discussing how wonderful these animals truly are. Be sure you get all your fun facts in order so that you can amaze and astound your friends and family with your knowledge of all things turkey!
I can’t say it will be easy—dealing with cruelty to animals never is-but I can say that you have an army of compassionate people right behind you in spirit, and when it’s all over, we can compare notes on the other side.
Be brave and never feel a moment’s doubt about the importance of your compassion to both you and animals.
Posted to Home & Garden | Posted to Tags: Michelle Rivera, teachkind, Thanksgiving, Tofurky, turkeys, Vegan Thanksgivng
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Lacy says...
November 25th, 2009, 7:23 pm
Thanks for the upbeat article, Michelle! I, too was thrilled when Publix starting carrying Tofurky, and small victories have to make us smile. My meat-eating sweetheart made a face the first time I served it, but acquiesced that it is actually really good!! Yay!!! No birds died for us this year, and the sides are easy to do vegan. My apple cranberry pie is to die for!!
Jan Geren says...
November 25th, 2009, 7:31 pm
Thank you for sharing this. There are already comments, even in the stores when I bought 2 tofurkey’s that were mean. This is a hard time for me as it is more like the killing fields blood bath and we call it Thanksgiving? I bet the poor turkey’s don’t!
Ali Ryan says...
November 25th, 2009, 9:16 pm
Thank you Michelle for your thoughtful and informative article! Your article expressed exactly how I feel. It can be difficult being a vegetarian at times…however, my love and respect for animals far outweighs any difficulties I may encounter.
kristi says...
November 25th, 2009, 10:08 pm
I suppose that consumer of turkeys & canines would find “long pig” appealing as well? horrible! I need to cuddle my fur-son & fur-daughter an extra long time tonight!
Doina says...
November 26th, 2009, 1:44 am
Thanks
and
Happy Thanksgiving !
DOI
Linda George says...
November 26th, 2009, 7:43 pm
I have recently become vegetarian and on my way to vegan, something that has always been in my heart and soul but all the things that we have been bombarded with about that you need meat to live. I had been crying alot and I realized that I had to take that final step. I am very happy and I know that I will never go back. The only problem I have is that every article mentions about different atrocites and unspeakable treatment of animals. I have not been able to go on you website because I can’t handle all of the horror that these animals face. There should be a different website for people that have already become vegetarians and vegans because it hurts the soul too much. It’s way to hard to face. My brother became a vegan decades ago and he would bring home pictures of all the abuse animals face and you just shut down. I would have probably become a vegetarian a long time ago but I shut down because I could not face the horrors. Please let me know if there is something like that coming on your website in the future. We don’t need to see and hear about this every time we go on your website. Thanks for listening.
Michelle says...
December 3rd, 2009, 7:04 pm
For Linda George: I feel your pain, I do. I watched a video of an animal being tortured that was on Youtube and sent to the local news station and I shut down for 14 months. I am not proud to say I was suicidal, had to go into therapy and on medication. It was much, much more than I could bear. So believe me when I tell you that even those of us who have been doing this for a very long time still have our moments when it feels like we don’t belong in this world and we don’t want to be in a world where such evil exists. But then, we get through it. It’s not because we are de-sensitized, it’s not because we don’t care, it’s because we know that this is our mission here on earth and we have to fulfill it. Knowing there are others who feel as we do really does make it better. Surrounding yourself with ARA’s (animal rights advocates/activists) and joining veg societies (try http://www.meetup.com) and other humane groups will help. I continue to go on the Peta and HSUS websites. I don’t watch the graphic videos more than the one time that I must see them in order to educate others. What I don’t want is someone saying to me “Well how do you know if you haven’t seen it?” You will get stronger every day. Don’t subject yourself to more than you can handle. If you lose it, then we lose you, and we can’t affrord to lose even one activist.
Mark says...
December 9th, 2009, 4:50 pm
Michelle, great article, it really is and lovely hear one supermarket can do that. The ‘turkey’ roasts in the UK the supermarkets can be bothered to stock are the useless Realeat and own-brand ones that use egg and milk. Can sometimes please tell me WHY veggie brands are allowed to exist-them, Quron, Tivall etc.and own brands, cos all they ever do when going flesh-free is to rely MORE on the bloody milk and eggs aspect. Pisses me right off. But the absolute WORST thing this time of year is the confectionery. There are NO cheap alternatives to animal free chocolates, sweets and cakes at all-certainly not cakes. It’s like no manufacturer that can provide even health-food stores (nevermind supermarkets or even stalls) wants to do proper animal-free cakes! Everything is animal derived in some way-in the UK the best we can hope for are mints-and even they almost always carry milk. AND SO THE DARK CHOCOLATE!! This is SO God damned boring.
One thing I really must take issue with is PETA acting like it’s so easy to be animal free! This from a place that sells us Procter&Gamble is evil, yet recommends Marmite and Pot Noodles from Unilever and encourages people to STILL support The Body Shop (apt term now I think) even though it’s owned by evil L’Oreal! Plus another thing has escaped everyone-there is NO ETHICAL MAKEUP anywhere-certaibly nothing you can buy in a store. Why the hell should we have to mail-order our whole bloody lives! The world does not work like that and people WANT what’s convenient-I should know-I talk to enough of them about animal issues and most agree (as I do too) that all that hold the power make it too hard! Hell, you’ve only got to look at all the animals derived crap on the shelves even in the most AWARE (what a joke!) countries. But still we try, though I sometimes wonder why, but I know it’s so no more animals die. But life shouldn’t be hellish for people who give a damn, it should be for those who don’t!
I hope those insulting Jan for buying Tofurkey get boiled in their own fat this year. I also want to say to Linda George-hey hon, I so get where you’re coming from. Micheele is right, WE need to be informed ourselves should losers question us, but you’re right, Linda, only one viewing should be enough. More to the point, you’re completely on the ball when you say there should be websites for veggies-almost vegans and vegans when they don’t have to put up with constant horrific images of the human being pointless and disgusting to all non-humans. WE don’t ned to see it-it’s all the bloody meat/milk/fish/egg eaters and skin wearers that it should be compulsory for. Anyway, here’s to a trying but hopefully Christmas and New Year to all us TRUE animal lovers-and animals themselves everywhere!