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Thanksgiving is a magical time when most Americans[br]come together with family to gorge themselves

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to the point of a full-blown food-coma.

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Oh, and give thanks, be grateful, and that[br]stuff too.

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Given that food is such a cornerstone of our[br]social interactions and traditions, holidays—and

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Thanksgiving in particular—can be very intimidating[br]for new and existing vegans.

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And aside from the logistics of what to eat[br]and how to deal with your loved ones, the

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ethical issues surrounding this "day of thanks"[br]are quite troubling: from the very first Thanksgiving's

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foundation upon the slaughter of an indigenous[br]people to the annual tradition revolving around

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the mass slaughter of turkeys.

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How is a vegan to handle a holiday so loaded[br]with (potential) landmines?

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Just leave it to this guide to help you navigate[br]Thanksgiving like a pro—from "surviving"

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your non-vegan family to dropping "fun fact"[br]historical truth bombs at the table to even

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educating effectively about the ethics of[br]exploitation.

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Now that's something to be thankful for!

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Hi, It’s Emily from Bite Size Vegan and[br]welcome to another vegan nugget.

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Just a quick FYI: you can find all of the[br]videos, guides and resources I'll be mentioning

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on this video's post on BiteSizeVegan.org

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Before we dig into what to eat for Thanksgiving,[br]let's take a look at where (and how) this

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all started.

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Impress your family with your historical prowess[br]while secretly busting out an educational

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activism sneak-attack with the true history[br]of this twisted holiday in The Truth About

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Thanksgiving

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"Today, this relationship established between[br]the Wampanoag and the pilgrims is mourned

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by the Wampanoag who gather every year with[br]hundreds of native people at Cole’s Hill

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overlooking Plymouth Rock for the national[br]day of mourning, on what we know as Thanksgiving."

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Now I’m not here to spoil your holiday or[br]invalidate your family traditions.

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I simply want to take a look at both the origins[br]of Thanksgiving and the current practices

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involved with its observance.

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Most of us Americans grow up with the romantic[br]recitation of the first Thanksgiving with

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the Pilgrims and "Indians" coming together[br]to feast.

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But this holiday has a human cost at its foundation—for[br]all its warm and fuzzy feelings, Thanksgiving

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is essentially the celebration of genocide[br]with genocide.

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You can find more Thanksgiving truth in the[br]full video "The Truth About Thanksgiving."

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Now that you know how this whole Thanksgiving[br]thing started, you may not feel so celebratory.

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But who's to say you don't start your own[br]tradition altogether?

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Luckily, going vegan doesn't mean giving up[br]your favorite holiday-tied tastes.

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Given how un-gifted I am when it comes to[br]the kitchen, I teamed up with some meal-mastering

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vegan YouTubers to bring you the “how to”[br]of an epically ethical Thanksgiving dinner.

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"Does a turkey-free Thanksgiving sound desolate[br]and wrong?

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Is your only impression of a vegan Thanksgiving[br]this thing?"

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[screeching horror sound effect] "Well fear[br]not.

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Today I've brought in a team of specialists[br]to create an epic vegan spread for your holiday

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meal."

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Grab all of the recipes and get all of the[br]tasty details in that full video and playlist.

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If you're anything like me, one of the hardest[br]parts of this holiday is the pain of knowing

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what the turkeys we break, breed, confine[br]and kill experience.

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That awareness can make it incredibly challenging[br]to be around non-vegan friends and family,

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much less try to talk to them about the issue.

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My "Draw My Life" video covering the life[br]of a turkey offers a way to introduce loved

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ones to what turkeys experience—with all[br]of the weight of their suffering, but without

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a single graphic image.

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Consisting entirely of marker-board-drawings[br]and a poetic voice-over, this video follows

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the abbreviated five-month lifespan of a single[br]turkey:

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"I’m up against my sisters.

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It’s hard to breath.

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There are so many of us.

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No beaks.

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No toes.

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No room.

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This is our very first day.

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Time passes.

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I grow so fast.

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We all grow so fast.

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My legs can’t lift me.

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My sister tries to use her wings to inch to[br]the food.

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Others gave up long ago."

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You can find the written poem-transcript and[br]resources for learning about what turkeys

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experience on that post.

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Nothing fits a family gathering quit like[br]sharing anecdotal trivia about bizarre governmental

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traditions!

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Impress your family with your know-how about[br]the strange history of turkey pardons (and

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lay down some turkey truth while you're at[br]it!)

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Every year, the President of the United States[br]pardons two turkeys from being slaughtered

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for Thanksgiving.

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But what most people don’t realize about[br]this supposedly lighthearted tradition is

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that the majority of pardoned turkeys die[br]within a year of their pardon:

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"This extravagant production, run by the lobbyist[br]organization the National Turkey Federation,

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essentially serves as an extended governmental[br]infomercial for the turkey industry.

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The Federation’s annual turkey gifting began[br]more or less in 1947 when angry farmers sent

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crates of live hens to President Truman in[br]protest of his failed “poultryless Thursday”

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attempt to reduce national meat and egg consumption"

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You can find more about the turkey pardons[br]on that post.

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The most powerfully effective way to make[br]the connection between the body on our plate

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and the being they once were is to look them[br]directly in the eye.

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I streamed this footage live to YouTube from[br]a turkey slaughterhouse near me here in Iowa

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just before Thanksgiving.

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Even this small slaughterhouse alone kills[br]over 20,000 turkeys a day.

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I stayed with them for hours.

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In the Iowa cold.

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They were terrified.

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Covered in feces and sores.

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Wheezing from respiratory infections and the[br]weight of their overgrown bodies.

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Some already dying.

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Within hours of this footage, they had all[br]been killed.

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Dragged through an electrified water tank[br]before having their throats slit open.

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All for families to gather over their corpses[br]and "give thanks."

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But this is nothing to be thankful for.

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You can see the full live stream and find[br]more resources on that post.

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Now that we've covered the hows and whys of[br]a vegan Thanksgiving, and the disturbing origins

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of the holiday itself, I'll leave you with[br]something perhaps even more disturbing: your

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family!

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Holidays can be a challenging time regardless[br]of your dietary inclination.

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When you’re vegan in a family of non-vegans[br]and/or surrounded by non-vegan friends, things

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get even less merry.

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But fear not because today I’m going to[br]share my top tips for staying vegan during

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the holidays.

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Here's a sneak peek:

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"Tip #8: Beware The Stealth Dishes & Make[br]Alternatives!

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Stuffing is usually baked in the gutted out[br]body cavity of a turkey carcass.

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Instead, don’t bake it inside the gutted[br]out body cavity of a turkey carcass.

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Maybe use a casserole dish."

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While you always have the option of not eating[br]with your family and friends for the holidays,

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if you want to be with loved ones who still[br]eat…well, loved ones, hopefully these tips

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can help.

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You can find more resources on social situations,[br]non-vegan family interaction, and holiday

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recipes on that post.

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I hope this holiday guide has helped you get[br]grateful for your "vegan vision," while finding

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tools for handling the challenges that come[br]with such awareness.

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While going vegan can be daunting when thinking[br]of holidays and social gatherings, it also

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opens up opportunities for creativity and[br]educating others.

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Please share this guide around to help other[br]vegans and vegans-to-be!

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Remember to head on over to the linked website[br]post for all of the information and linked

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videos.

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To support the creation of free resources[br]like this, check out the support links below

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or in the sidebar.

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Now go live vegan and I'll see you soon.