Surviving Thanksgiving

By Jasmin 

 

It’s time again for the Holidaze. Time for seeing family members (ah…family), giving and receiving presents (because who doesn’t need a new snowflake neck tie?), and, oh yes, watching as your loved ones eat the very animals you are fighting to save. Beginning with Thanksgiving, this can be a very trying time for many farm animal advocates.

Which is why it’s particularly important that we spend from now until the end of the year going that extra mile in taking care of ourselves and our activist peers. This includes getting enough sunshine and exercise, eating well, staying hydrated (and I mean with water, folks, not soy nog), spending time with your activist community, and doing something every day that’s fun and has nothing whatsoever to do with your activism. Read more on surviving the holidays as a vegan.

Thanksgiving tends to be particularly tough for vegans and animal activists. For many of us, watching a dead bird be handed around the table can actually be very traumatic. If you plan on attending a Thanksgiving celebration that includes eating a dead turkey as part of the “celebration,” here are some tips on getting through it in one piece:

• Spread compassion through cruelty-free cuisine. Bring a vegan dish (or several) to share.

• Don’t feel as though you have to defend your veganism. If your Uncle Joe is poking fun at you, it could be because he’s grappling with his own conscience. Extend compassion to him, and rise above the petulance. (If he doesn’t lay off, however, calmly explain to him that it is deeply hurtful for him to put you down.)

• Unless you were born vegan, there was a time when you also consumed animal products. Keep that in mind, and also lead by example.

• Host a vegan Thanksgiving meal or potluck. You can invite your meat-eating friends and family to show them how tasty vegan food can be, or you might decide to celebrate with  fellow animal advocates, using the meal as a way to provide solace to them, and to you, around the holidays. You might also choose to attend an inspiring event like our Celebration FOR the Turkeys.

• Keep your eye on the big picture. If you turn your angst into advocacy – all while taking care of yourself along the way so you can avoid activist burnout – you will feel good about your contribution, and you will also make a difference for the animals. Have a conversation with your family (not necessarily at the meal itself) about animal cruelty, and offer them resources to make personal changes.
 

This Tuesday, we’ll share some of your tips on how to have a compassionate Thanksgiving. Also, feel free to leave your tips and thoughts in the comments section below.

This Thanksgiving, we at Farm Sanctuary are grateful to you for all that you are doing to raise awareness, to change hearts and minds, and to advocate compassion. Thank you!

Comments

[Judy Ellwanger]

THANK YOU for voicing just what I'm feeling right now. This is my first Thanksgiving as a vegetarian and I am definitely having mixed emotions. I will not be with my family for the first time this year for mostly logistical reasons but also in part because I'm having a hard time. I will take these suggestions to heart but it's so nice to get some validation. I've been unpleasantly surprised by many people's reactions to my new lifestyle to the point where I'm almost afraid to reveal my new "identity" for fear of ridicule or being asked to defend my position. It's great to hear from like-minded people.

[Maia Reim]

Jasmin, knowing you personally and how you have encouraged your own family to become vegan, I applaud and share your sentiments. We can all be proud of the progress we have made as a family of three generations, eating enlightened the vegan way. It has been a steady evolution. You have reason to crow about your own gang.

[Heather Norcross]

The best book to help you deal with the unique social challenges of being veg is "Living Among Meat Eaters" by Carol J. Adams. It's available through Amazon.com: ! When my morale is low and I am losing some faith in my fellow man, I turn to that book. It is extremely helpful and relevant for both vegetarians and vegans. Need help with family, friend, or work situations? Turn to this book and you will find some sweet relief!

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_0_11?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=living+among+meat+eaters&sprefix=living+amon

[Andrea N.]

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, Jasmin!

[Eric M]

So refreshing to see advice like this that comes from a place of compassion. :-)