How to Survive Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is drawing near and I know some of you are dreading the infamous Thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving with a non vegan family that does not support you is the worst. They belittle your beliefs and make you feel like you are selfish for not wanting to consume animal byproducts. As if that was not bad enough, you are literally surrounded by animal carcasses. Chickens, pigs, cows, and turkeys all pay the ultimate price for one day of gluttony. I know it’s painful to watch, which is why I’m here to offer you some tips on how to survive this Thanksgiving.

Suggest They Break Tradition

No matter whether you are vegan or not, everyone gets sick of eating the same meal every Thanksgiving. The same meal with sides? *Yawn*. Why not suggest that they shake things up with a vegan Thanksgiving! If your family is awesome enough to go for this you have to back it up by providing amazing recipes! This is the best chance you have to sway their opinions of vegans. Not only could this be an amazing Thanksgiving for you, it would also be a life changing moment for your family.

Make it a potluck.

If your family is not on board with having a fully vegan Thanksgiving, suggest making it a potluck. This will guarantee that you aren’t stuck just eating salad this holiday season. Like the option above, you must use this time to make an amazing dish! Once they see how amazing vegan food is, they will most likely ask you questions. Use this as a time to spread the vegan message.

Stay for only a short time.

If your family is not open minded and willing to do any of the options above you have the option to only pop in to say hello. I know the idea of spending the whole holiday surrounded by non vegan food while having nothing to eat is the worst! No matter what, it is important that you don’t let your family make you feel guilty. If they truly respect you then they will understand why you are not staying for the entire event and respect that.

If all else fails, don’t attend

Unfortunately, not everyone has family members that are open to any of the options above. If it is simply too much for you to bear, do not force yourself to go. No matter how your family reacts to your decision to not attend, it is your body and your choice. They have to realize that it is not fair for them to try to force you to accept their behavior when it goes against what you stand for. While it is true that choosing this option could cause a rift between you and your loved ones, it is important that you stay true to yourself and not let your family steal your sunshine.

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