Compassionate Holidays

While I was doing research for Petty Magic I came upon the magical German word gemütlich, which means cozy, cheerful belonging. I recognized it at once. After all, you have not truly known a Christmas 'til you've experienced it in the DeAngelis household. But looking back now on all the meals I've shared with my parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, I see a certain falseness lurking under that holiday cheer. We wanted to make each other feel warm, welcomed, safe, and loved, but we never extended that caring toward the animals on our plates.  Of course, there's no sense disowning those happy memories because of the old cognitive dissonance. The turkey on the table in this first-grade drawing is an ultimately unnecessary detail; the key words are I like...to have my grandparents over.So you replace the old animal-based dishes with compassionate alternatives, and get on with the celebrating! 

How to have a compassionate Thanksgiving via @JoyfulVegan! https://t.co/mkwwvAusUF #vegan #thanksgiving— Lauren (@EverydayRevelry) November 14, 2014