Since it is the first day of December, we decided it was okay to insert a little holiday spirit into the mix. (We think it’s okay to be sentimental, as long as you don’t put up Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving!)
So, with the holiday spirit in mind, the Peace Song of the Day is the interwoven song, “Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy“. This song was created especially for a Bing Crosby TV holiday special. It is performed by Bing Crosby and David Bowie. It resonates with warmth, compassion, and a harmony between the ying and the yang.
Well, here, we are, a shopping site, telling you not to shop. Though, it is only for one day a year. We feel pretty sure you could just wait and buy it tomorrow or the next day. And, low sales figures for Friday, November 25th, will make the big stores and the 1% rethink how they sell to consumers, and exploit labor. (And, low sales figures on this one day might also cause prices to lower in time for the winter holidays!)
Peace Couple promotes compassionate shopping. That means standing up for people forced to work late Thanksgiving, or all hours of the day on Friday, because the greedy corporations that employ them are trying to rake in more cash.
So, please consider buying nothing today. But, if you do buy something, please buy it from a small business and/or union business.
“The Christians and the Pagans” by Dar Williams is the Peace Song of the Day for Thanksgiving, November 24th. (Don’t worry! It’s a funny song. And, the Christians and Pagans get along, eventually…)
Peace Couple is all about shopping in more compassionate ways, and, learning to gradually change your habits to be more just and sustainable. For Thanksgiving, you could move towards a vegetarian or vegan diet, by opting for a Turkey-Free Thanksgiving.
For Thanksgiving 2011, Kimberly and Ian celebrated a Turkey-Free Thanksgiving on Long Island, with their friends from Healthy Planet. There are photos at our Peace Couple Flickr: here.
We also wanted to share some tips about vegetarian or vegan dishes for Thanksgiving.
First of all, you can think out of the box. You do not need a pretend turkey to have a vegetarian Thanksgiving. There are plenty of delicious foods with protein, and plenty of side dishes to conjure up old memories and tradition.
Though, if you feel the need for a turkey-like dish, or, if you are cooking, and you know that your friends and family will expect “a turkey”, then there are suggestions, with ratings in an article at Slate Magazine: here.
Slate used a rating system based on appearance, meatiness, and overall taste. I think it is useful to list the non-turkey options they reviewed. And, their ratings might be especially useful if you are serving to folks who are not vegetarians. Though, I have to say, I disagree a bit on the Slate summary of the “Field Roast Stuffed Celebration Roast” — it is one of my favorite meals. And, it looks pretty good if you rub some oil and spices on it!
List of “alternate turkey” choices from Slate Magazine:
