This time of year always brings up a mix of emotions for me. While the world gears up for turkey dinners and expressions of “gratitude,” I find myself stepping back — because for me, after learning what I know now, Thanksgiving no longer feels like a “holiday” to celebrate.

For years, I went along with the ‘tradition’ — the table full of ‘food,’ the family laughter, and “expressing gratitude.” But underneath it all, I couldn’t shake the truth.

How can we give thanks while millions of innocent animals are being slaughtered for a single meal?

Below are a couple of clips I was able to get visiting with the turkeys at Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge in Pittsboro, NC. Blackberry is the name of the black feathered turkey in the first video. He’s quite the character and show stopper when he wants to make his presence known and gain all the attention! Lol.

The second video is me feeding one of the other turkeys. Turkeys are such intelligent beings. So much so than what most give them credit for.

These are sentient beings — aware, emotional, and capable of feeling fear and pain — yet they’re treated as commodities rather than lives that matter. And that is a knowing that makes it very difficult to participate in a ‘tradition’ I find hypocritical.

Beyond that, when you peel back the layers of Thanksgiving’s origins, you uncover an even deeper story of bloodshed and colonization — the genocide of Native Americans whose land was stolen and whose lives were destroyed. The “holiday of thanks” was never about unity; it was rewritten and sold to us in that way.

But sadly, it is far from that.

And so, I have chosen to no longer celebrate a “holiday” that has been portrayed very differently from what it actually is.

Not because I don’t believe in gratitude — but because I believe gratitude means honoring life, not taking it.

Keep reading to learn more…

DEEP DIVE

As I’ve stepped deeper into this lifestyle rooted in compassion, truth, and alignment, I’ve realized that gratitude isn’t something we perform once a year around a table covered in suffering. It’s something we live — intentionally, mindfully, and with full awareness of the impact our choices have on the world around us.

Conscious living means asking ourselves the uncomfortable but necessary questions:

• Is this tradition aligned with my values?
• Does my joy require someone else’s pain?
• Am I participating in something simply because it’s familiar — or because it feels right?

When I really sat with these questions, everything shifted.

I began to understand that gratitude is not about overconsumption, ritualized violence, or reenacting a story that was historically sanitized to erase genocide and colonization.

Gratitude is about honoring life — all life — with reverence, humility, and truth. It’s about choosing to live in a way that reflects care for the planet, compassion for animals, and respect for the real history behind the land we stand on.

So instead of a holiday centered on harm, I choose:

• Gratitude expressed through conscious choices
• Meals rooted in life, not death
• A deeper connection with the earth, my body, and the beings we share this world with
• Honoring indigenous truths and acknowledging the history many were never taught
• Creating new traditions that uplift, heal, and do no harm

This is what choosing conscious living looks like.
This is what gratitude with intention feels like.

It’s a quieter celebration — but a far more honest one.

When you start to see through the layers of conditioning, you realize: we don’t need cruelty to celebrate connection.

If you still enjoy gathering, cooking, or sharing a meal this time of year — you don’t have to give up your tradition to align with compassion. You can simply give the plate an upgrade.

Here are some of the best plant-based substitutes that let you keep the flavor, the comfort, and the celebration — without the cruelty.

• Field Roast Celebration Roast
Savory, hearty, and perfect with gravy.
Available:
– Charlotte: Whole Foods, Sprouts, The Fresh Market
– Online: Amazon, Thrive Market, Field Roast website

• Tofurky Plant-Based Roast & Gravy
A classic holiday staple with a tender texture.
Available:
– Charlotte: Whole Foods, Harris Teeter, Sprouts
– Online: Amazon, Tofurky website

• Gardein Holiday Roast (Stuffed)
Crispy outside, flavorful inside — great for plant-based “tradition lovers.”
Available:
– Charlotte: Publix, Target, Harris Teeter
– Online: Amazon, Target

If you prefer whole-food or raw-leaning meals, try:

• Stuffed acorn squash with quinoa, cranberries & pecans
• Raw cranberry relish with orange + dates
• Maple-roasted sweet potatoes or raw sweet potato ribbons
• Garlic cauliflower mash (instead of potatoes + dairy)
• Rainbow autumn salads with pomegranate, kale, and citrus
• Walnut “meat” loaf with fresh herbs
• Creamy cashew-based mushroom gravy

For food ready to go if you don’t feel like cooking:

• Vegan butter → Miyoko’s or Earth Balance
• Vegan cheese → La Cremerie Crue - This is my friend’s shop which I highly recommend. It’s clean, delicious, tasty spreadable cheese, truffles, and more with flavors everyone will love. She makes it from scratch and it’s 100% raw! Other options like Kite Hill make a great alternative for dips & spreads
• Dairy-free milk → Three Trees, Malk, Elmhurst
• Vegan marshmallows for sweet potatoes → Dandies or Trader Joes Mini Maple Flavored Marshmallows
• No-chicken broth → Better Than Bouillon / Imagine Foods

Available:
– Charlotte: Whole Foods, Sprouts, Harris Teeter, Publix
– Online: Thrive Market, Amazon

Buying local supports small growers, reduces environmental impact, and ensures fresher, more nutrient-rich foods.

Try:
• Charlotte Regional Farmers Market
• North End Farmers Market
• Atherton Market in South End
• Local CSA programs like Barn Farm Plant Haven

Most farms also post weekly availability on Instagram — making it easy to buy direct and avoid produce that’s been tampered with or injected.

What if we reimagined this season altogether?
A time to give back.
A time to feed the hungry instead of feeding on them.
A time to express thanks by healing — not harming.

Even small choices — skipping the turkey, making a raw vegan dish, or having a moment of silence for those who’ve suffered — begin to shift collective energy.

Take the stress out of trying to ‘figure out’ what to buy that’s healthy and what ingredients to use and substitute with to give your food and meal prep a clean upgrade with my easy to follow Self-Guided Grocery Store Tour Digital Guide.

Go from overwhelm to pro-status in no time as you take your shopping experience to the next level while making healthier, more sustainable choices.

Whether you’re new on your wellness journey or want to up-level your conscious living habits, this guide gives you the tools to shop smarter, not harder.

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