For a non-vegan, the idea of a plant-based Christmas can be kind of scary. What’s left on the plate if you take away not only the meat but also the dairy products and the eggs?
Actually, a lot. We at Votch can assure you, it’s really not that bad!
A vegan Christmas doesn’t mean chewing on broccoli in front of the fire. It means a Christmas with good food, presents stuffed under the tree, and the comfort in knowing that none of it contributed to the suffering of animals. The animals pictured in this blog are the ones we met recently at our visit to Retreat Animal Rescue who have been saved from this fate.
When the holiday season arrives, it’s important to stay aware of its environmental impact. An enjoyable Christmas doesn't have to come at the cost of environmental or animals suffering. So today, we at Votch are sharing some advice for a vegan sustainable Christmas.
Christmas is supposed to be a time of happiness and cheer, yet for animals, it’s quite the opposite. While we sit inside listening to Christmas songs, animals are being slaughtered, tortured and some given as gifts only to then be abandoned a few weeks after Christmas. It’s the dark side of the holidays that we don’t want to pay attention to. But if we don’t acknowledge it, we continue contributing to it. Did you know that in the U.S. alone, 29 million cows, millions of pigs and 9 billion chickens are slaughtered each year in the meat and dairy industries?
But it doesn’t have to be this way! You can decrease those numbers by avoiding animal products during the holidays. Veggies can be roasted in oil instead of butter, honey can be swapped for agave syrup or maple syrup, and plant-based milk can substitute milk in cooking. There are also plenty of plant-based meat substitutes in the grocery store. And if you’re out of ideas on what to cook, here’s a list of 126 vegan Christmas recipes from the minimalist baker. The list includes appetisers, desserts and everything in between!
A sustainable Christmas isn’t just about the food we eat. It's also about the gifts we buy. We live in a society where we are encouraged to purchase more and more products. We need to reconsider this lifestyle by decreasing our consumption, and choosing to purchase sustainable and cruelty-free gifts.
A simple way to make sure your purchases are cruelty-free is to look for the leaping bunny logo or PETA approved sign. And before you reach for your wallet, rethink your purchase. Is this recyclable? Has it been manufactured in a sustainable way? Will it be valuable to the person I’m giving it to? Be sure to check the label of the product to avoid accidentally purchasing non-vegan things. A quick look at the brand's website can tell you whether it's a cruelty-free and sustainable product or not.
If you need some ideas on what to purchase, Votch offers plenty of watches that are 100% cruelty-free and made from vegan leather. And if you’re buying for someone that’s picky you can give them a gift card so they can pick out their own watch. We all have that one friend who seems to have everything they need. Well, instead of buying something useless to them, you could purchase an adoption pack. Wonderful charities such as FARS offer adoption packs, which means that as a gift you contribute to the well being and support of an animal :-)
Wishing you all a wonderful and cruelty free Christmas with love from us here at Votch! x
1 comment
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Fantastic blog you have here but I was wondering if you knew of any forums that cover the same topics discussed in this article? I’d really like to be a part of group where I can get suggestions from other knowledgeable individuals that share the same interest. If you have any recommendations, please let me know. Thank you!