The Official Vegan Good Life Holiday Gift Guide: Buy Nothing

This January, no credit card bills will be arriving in my mail. I'm joining the ranks who are choosing to buy nothing. Urges The Discerning Brute's Joshua Katcher in this VegNews piece: "Make a plan. Tell your friends and family that this holiday you'd prefer not to exchange gifts, and instead, exchange words, a meal, a craft, an experience, or just friendship! It's the easiest thing to not do." I already have a festive tea outing in the works to celebrate the winter solstice.

The "buying" exceptions I'd add: gifts for children and charitable purchases for residents in need. Check out The Thrifty Chicks' out-of-the-box thinking on toy treasures. But I've asked everyone - please, no gifts. If they feel the urge to spend, I'd rather them purchase food for pantries so in need, or write a check to the local animal shelter.

Shopping? No, we'll be swapping, unwanted gifts this time, at our next swap at work in January. The leftovers will be bound for a charitable thrift store. So many receive unwanted gift items, so what better way to give them a new life and let people do some "shopping" for free just as those bills are arriving.

I thoroughly enjoy the holidays since I've rejected the materialistic aspect. I look forward to watching classic holiday specials on television, seeing the beautiful decorations at church, where the kids put on a show as heart-warming as anything you'll see at Radio City, writing out Christmas cards (purchased for 10 cents each at the thrift shop) while sipping hot cocoa and listening to my "A Charlie Brown Christmas" soundtrack, and spending time with loved ones, including our family's six-year-old dog, which we adopted through a rescue group found on Petfinder this year. Possibly the best gift ever.

Besides, if you do exchange gifts, who wants to risk ending up with "wooden broach in the shape of a turkey's head?"


Or remember the "Men of Blanche's Boudoir" calendars?

Bea: "Thank You for Being a Friend" to the Animals

Today our animal rights community lost a great supporter, and the public lost a wonderful comedienne, Bea Arthur. I am a huge fan of the Golden Girls, on which she was a co-star. Intelligently written, superbly acted and with great chemistry among its cast, such comedy is hard to find nowadays in a television age of vapid reality shows focused on some ridiculous obsession with wealth. Check out PETA Vice President Dan Mathews' tribute to Bea.



As the theme song of the Golden Girls goes, "thank you for being a friend," I will say, "thank you, Bea, for providing the world with so much laughter, and for being such a tireless advocate of animals."



Bea's Dorothy Zbornak character was a strong, vibrant, intelligent woman, with witty comebacks never in short supply. She was a great role model, both on TV and in real life, for women of all ages. We live in an era when so many are obsessed with pursuits of vanity and material possessions. Bea lived in pursuit of a better world, and making us all smile.



Bea participated in this PSA for PETA with co-stars Betty White and Rue McClanahan

Golden Girls Fur PSA




Goodbye Bea. Surely, there will be more laughter among the angels now that you have joined them.