How to Entertain a Vegan Christmas Guest

Got a vegan guest coming for Christmas? Christmas time is all about getting together with our family members and friends to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Henceforth, it has become a tradition to have a large dinner on Christmas Day for the family and multiple small gatherings throughout the rest of the holiday season. If it has come to your attention that a vegan partaker will be joining the festivities, and you yourself are not vegan, here is a guide to assist you with making the event as peaceful as the night Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

Being vegan myself, I can personally assure you that the "vegan vision" of Christmas is one that is classic and pure. Being a vegan is not only about being advocates for those that can not speak (i.e. animals) but are also considerate to environmental preservation, promoting good health, and spiritual conservationists. Keeping this in mind, the vegan in your life will love just about any small or large vegan-inspired part of your celebration this year. It truly is the thought that counts.

Decorations: Decorations are easier than most other parts of a vegan Christmas. As a Christian vegan, I tend to look back into the history books and pursue traditional Christmas decorations such as the Advent Calendar, Advent Wreath, The Tree of Jesse, the Nativity, Mistletoe, and other sacred traditions seen throughout history around the world.

Try using living plants and trees for your Christmas this year. There is nothing more important than a living tree this year that can be planted in the spring months. If you live in a smaller area, try purchasing a lovely small living tree that is you can keep in your house all year around. This year we purchased a lovely Norfolk Island pine that cost less than twenty US dollars in the local do-it-yourself store such as Lowe's and Home Depot. Many other grocery stores and department stores sell these lovely living pine trees in various sizes too. It is true that the Costa Farms Norfolk Pine Tree that we purchased is not truly a pine tree, rather a coniferous tropical plant, but it gives the same seasonal, homey feeling that every craves this time of the year. It is great for almost all areas, including those American states that do not have fallen snow.

Other living plants that have reached many stores around the nation are the Christmas cactus and also the ever popular Poinsettia. Thankfully these plants will liven up any party area and can be either kept in your house throughout the year. Or, if you do not have a green thumb, go ahead and give the living plant to your vegan guest as a parting gift.

Other miscellaneous decorations can include homemade ornaments, edible coffee table goodies, and other traditional decorations you have used throughout the years. Things to steer clear from are ornaments that are made from animal by-products such as fur, leather, and so on. Most vegans will not judge the entertainer for having these items but if you truly want to make a great impression, these are my personal suggestions.

Dinner: Vegans generally fret the holiday food more than anything else during this time of year. My family, even through my many attempts, still does not understand what exactly a vegan so it is always a little frustrating for me as a vegan going to the main dinner party. To eliminate some frustration and a possible extreme hunger, my husband and I tend to take a lot of goodies with us to assure a happy celebration minus the hunger pains. This year, we have setup a plan to take a Tofurky Roast with us to our parent's houses for the holidays. There are two main boxes of prepackaged Tofurky feasts to purchase for your holiday guest: The Tofurky Feast and the Tofurky Roast. The two meals come all bundled up in a handy box that contains a Tofurky Roast that is stuffed with wild rice stuffing and a side of Tofurky Gravy. The Tofurky Feast also contains a "wishstick", chocolate cake and a card with coupons. In my area, the Roast can be purchased for around $10-$15.00 USD while the Feast is about ten dollars more. Each box can serve around 5-6 very hungry people. The two meals can be made in about an hour and is very easy to throw together while you are making your non-vegan entrée items. Add some freshly steamed vegetables and mashed potatoes (no butter or milk added) and you have an entire feast! The roast is amazing and even your non-vegan guests might want to try this wonderful meal.

Please note that most normal grocery stores do not sell Tofurky boxed meals. It is easy to find a health food store in your area that sells these products on the main website. If you can not find a health food store near you, try online. Yahoo Shopping does have Tofurky products for sale, so go ahead and purchase it online. Unfortunately, the price is a bit higher when you purchase it online since it has special shipping requirements.

Goodies: Traditional Christmas goodies are basically cookies, cakes, alcoholic drinks and so on. Try to make goodies without butter, honey, milk, eggs, or milk chocolate. It comes as a surprise to many that these items can be easily substituted with vegan products. For instance, vegan butter can be substituted for vegan butter; agave nectar can be used instead of honey; chocolate can be substituted with many brands of semi-sweet chocolate or dark chocolate; and ground flaxseed can be used instead of eggs. There are many websites available offering free vegan recipes for all traditional goodies that any guest will love to devour. If you have any questions about a product, do a simple search online and it is assured that some vegan has answered the question for you. Otherwise, it is easy enough to go to the Peta website and find some simple vegan recipes for free.

For easy vegan goodies to set out, try fruit (such as seasonal oranges), nuts and/or dried fruit. If you just go simple, sometimes it is not only easier but also cheaper.