A Cruelty-Free Guide to Thanksgiving

Examples of cruelty-free commercial alternatives for the holidays--and any day!

A week from today is Thanksgiving and some of us vegans try and simply avoid thinking about the impending massacre of turkeys around Thanksgiving, preferring to ignore it altogether, and some use the date as an opportunity to educate people on the reality of what Thanksgiving means for those whose bodies are to become centerpieces on the tables of over 45 million American homes.

Turkeys are social beings who nurture and protect their young and thrive in their natural habitat. Even when they are stressed and confined (whether “free-range” or otherwise), they have an amazing will to live, as do all sentient beings.

The photos above show the easy alternative way for having a cruelty-free Thanksgiving. But if you want to make a homemade Tofurky roast and gravy, here is a recipe link below to do that:

Homemade Tofurkey with Brown Rice Stuffing

Vegan Mushroom Gravy

At the link below is a collection of Thanksgiving links to look at and make your own Thanksgiving experience more meaningful and hopefully to share with others the truth about who turkeys could be to us if we would only open our hearts to them.

A Vegan Guide to Thanksgiving

Morrissey Performing "Meat Is Murder"

Morrissey performing The Smiths classic "Meat Is Murder", live at the Music Box in Hollywood the night before Thanksgiving (11/23/11)

Songwriters: Johnny Marr, Morrissey, Steven Patrick

Heifer whines could be human cries
Closer comes the screaming knife
This beautiful creature must die
This beautiful creature must die
A death for no reason
And death for no reason is MURDER

And the flesh you so fancifully fry
Is not succulent, tasty or kind
It's death for no reason
And death for no reason is MURDER


And the calf that you carve with a smile
Is MURDER
And the turkey you festively slice
Is MURDER
Do you know how animals die ?


Kitchen aromas aren't very homely
It's not "comforting", cheery or kind
It's sizzling blood and the unholy stench
Of MURDER


It's not "natural", "normal" or kind
The flesh you so fancifully fry
The meat in your mouth
As you savour the flavour
Of MURDER


NO, NO, NO, IT'S MURDER
NO, NO, NO, IT'S MURDER
Oh ... and who hears when animals cry ?

Cruelty-Free Thanksgiving Meal Recipes

Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada as a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year. Several other places around the world observe similar celebrations. It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. Thanksgiving has its historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, and has long been celebrated in a secular manner as well.

Since there is such a plethera of cruelty-free holiday recipes on the Internet and in books, I thought I'd mention two of the best websites for your Thanksgiving holiday menu:

The links below are your premier source for Thanksgiving recipes and menus to create a memorable dinner! Create mix-and match menus from the following recipes, from soup to dessert, complete with vegan stuffings and main dishes—all the holiday traditions you adore, updated for a compassionate plant-based feast for even more recipes and menus for Thanksgiving and other major holidays.

VEGAN THANKSGIVING DINNER

For more cruelty-free recipe ideas, check out this site:

Healthy Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes: From Brunch to Dinner to Dessert

Have a kind Thanksgiving.

Cruelty-Free Thanks!

 

Me too!

 

I give thanks today especially to all my fellow vegans who extend compassion to all living beings.

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Compassion in Action

A week from today is Thanksgiving. This holiday and it’s traditions are mainly about food and one food in particular:

Turkey.

A turkey is, like a dog or cat, a sentient being with thoughts, feelings and desires.

But unlike our companion animals, a turkey goes through a tremendous amount of suffering to end up in the grocery store and consequently on the Thanksgiving table. Turkeys are neglected, mutilated, and die a horrible death all so they can be the centerpiece on tables, and as people gorge themselves on the carcass of a sentient being that endured a gruesome fate.

We can stop this tradition and the cruelty involved. There are other foods that can be sought for those who want to look at this time of giving thanks in a different, more compassionate way. A way without supporting cruelty, a way to celebrate giving thanks with an abundance of compassion.

Instead of eating a turkey this Thanksgiving, it is possible to start a new tradition:  Save a turkey. All traditional foods on the Thanksgiving table can be made animal product-free, cruelty-free with little effort.

If you are not vegan already, please think about the animal suffering that is involved during this holiday season and every day. The traditions of Thanksgiving is to be thankful for what we have, health, happiness, love and family. We should extend these privileges to all creatures that share this planet with us.