Every year, right around the time of my birthday (October 18th) I begin to get a bit anxious. Even though Halloween is my favorite holiday, this year I just couldn't really get into it.
This part of the blog really has nothing to do with being vegan, fyi.
For those of you who do not know, I already have some depression related issues (whole other story, for another day) that I have been dealing with for an extremely long time. Now, SAD (seasonal affective disorder) gets to kick in. Strangely, though, I think that the end of Daylight Savings Time has helped.
Which doesn't really make sense.
How do you handle emotional issues, whether they are season related or it depends on the time of the month or whatever...??
That being said, yes my birthday was fun. Even had a vegan birthday cake made by the great bakery lady at Earth Fare (I don't know what I would do without that place). Halloween was fun, and not only did I save some money by using stuff from my own closet for costuming it also helped with saving the planet (as reusing always does, though it was honestly due to me not being able to find a costume I liked in time). For next year I'm going to have some money set aside so I can buy a real costume that I love & will last for years to come. I hate using things only once.
Now... here comes two times of the year I don't really care for, Thanksgiving & Christmas. Why, you may ask? Well, first off Thanksgiving is just an excuse to torture and murder more animals just to have a huge and wasteful meal. Of course there are many of us that do what we can to make it a cruelty free holiday... and there are so many ways we can do that.
There are many resources out there for us. The easiest is to ask your local grocer. Places like Whole Foods and Earth Fare are usually staffed with knowledgeable people... but for those without a helpful store there are online options. Peta2.com currently has a vegan turk'y give away (as well as many helpful tips & fun stuff for us vegheads). Healthy-eating.com has many options available to order year round, and especially during the holidays. They even offer Tofurky brand options, which are always a favorite. If those aren't options, or you want to avoid the whole faux meat stuff, there are a large amount of recipes available online. Google is a vegan's best friend, just be sure to plan ahead. You don't want to get caught without a vital ingredient on the big day. And a best thing about these foods is that they are great for any meal, not just special occasions.
For those who are cooking a "traditional" turkey day meal, you may need to help accommodate the dishes for some vegans or vegetarians that may arrive. It's easier than it might seem, though it may reach outside of your comfort zone. As always, any help needed or question... and I'm here for you.
I like to think of it more as "Save-the-Turkeys" day, personally. So many are cruelly treated, and slaughtered in ways that most cannot stomach (and if you can, you need help... now).
So, how do you plan to spend your "Save-the-Turkeys" Day???
This part of the blog really has nothing to do with being vegan, fyi.
For those of you who do not know, I already have some depression related issues (whole other story, for another day) that I have been dealing with for an extremely long time. Now, SAD (seasonal affective disorder) gets to kick in. Strangely, though, I think that the end of Daylight Savings Time has helped.
Which doesn't really make sense.
How do you handle emotional issues, whether they are season related or it depends on the time of the month or whatever...??
That being said, yes my birthday was fun. Even had a vegan birthday cake made by the great bakery lady at Earth Fare (I don't know what I would do without that place). Halloween was fun, and not only did I save some money by using stuff from my own closet for costuming it also helped with saving the planet (as reusing always does, though it was honestly due to me not being able to find a costume I liked in time). For next year I'm going to have some money set aside so I can buy a real costume that I love & will last for years to come. I hate using things only once.
Now... here comes two times of the year I don't really care for, Thanksgiving & Christmas. Why, you may ask? Well, first off Thanksgiving is just an excuse to torture and murder more animals just to have a huge and wasteful meal. Of course there are many of us that do what we can to make it a cruelty free holiday... and there are so many ways we can do that.
There are many resources out there for us. The easiest is to ask your local grocer. Places like Whole Foods and Earth Fare are usually staffed with knowledgeable people... but for those without a helpful store there are online options. Peta2.com currently has a vegan turk'y give away (as well as many helpful tips & fun stuff for us vegheads). Healthy-eating.com has many options available to order year round, and especially during the holidays. They even offer Tofurky brand options, which are always a favorite. If those aren't options, or you want to avoid the whole faux meat stuff, there are a large amount of recipes available online. Google is a vegan's best friend, just be sure to plan ahead. You don't want to get caught without a vital ingredient on the big day. And a best thing about these foods is that they are great for any meal, not just special occasions.
For those who are cooking a "traditional" turkey day meal, you may need to help accommodate the dishes for some vegans or vegetarians that may arrive. It's easier than it might seem, though it may reach outside of your comfort zone. As always, any help needed or question... and I'm here for you.
I like to think of it more as "Save-the-Turkeys" day, personally. So many are cruelly treated, and slaughtered in ways that most cannot stomach (and if you can, you need help... now).
So, how do you plan to spend your "Save-the-Turkeys" Day???
