VEGETARIAN CHRISTMAS

Make this year's Christmas cruelty free

Christmas is the ultimate foodie holiday.

The BBC have put together two wonderful vegan menu options. One mildly traditional and the other rather exotic in the spice department! These menus will surely add life and tasty sensations to your Christmas. Click here.

Little friends in need

Looking for a way to make a difference this Christmas? Nadia Crighton comes up with 10 top tips to make this silly season, one to remember.

Feasting - With so many culinary delights being created in festive kitchens across New Zealand there is no better time to make the most compassionate statement in your kitchen. Be adventurous - try having a vegetarian Christmas! If not, at least ensure the products are free range.

Education - get your facts right and impress your guests! Be the conversational guru at your Christmas ‘do' and get yourself informed and up-to-date with the most relevant information about helping animals. Whether it's the latest animal campaigns or simple solutions to keeping your neighbourhood animal-friendly, you'll be the hit of the party with so many interesting topics to talk about.

Volunteer - get the warm and fuzzies this holiday season and offer your time to a great cause. Whether it's collecting money during SAFE's annual street appeal (21 December), walking dogs, or writing letters, there is always something to give back at this time of year.

Silly Season - indulge your furry loved-ones and ensure the four-legged, or feathered-friend in your home is kept in the festive spirit. If you are taking your animal with you on holiday remember to never leave them unattended in an enclosed vehicle during a warm day. Don't over indulge - pudgy kitties and pooches are not happy, and chocolate is also poisonous to dogs!

Sensible Santa - it's great to give presents at this generous time of year, even better when you're a sensible Santa. Set an example this Christmas and only purchase cruelty-free products for your friends and family.

Say NO to animal companions for Christmas - spread the news. Animals are not gifts they are well-considered members of the family. Put a collar, lead or play toy under the tree and allow the person to think about the new addition to the family before hearts are broken. More animals are dumped in pounds around Christmas than any other time of year. Besides...with all the craziness of Chrissy, who's got time for litter training or puppy-poop?

Live it - the best thing we can do for our wildlife is protecting the earth. Become a Mother Nature warrior and turn green this Christmas. Recycle, reuse, and become compassionate about the earth. Dress up as a green Santa and throw an environmentally-friendly Christmas party. Setting an example and talking about simple solutions to your friends and family can have a huge impact.

New Year Resolutions - give the gift of the gab and make 2008 the year you make a stand for animal welfare issues. Not only will it make you feel great, you'll also be helping a friend in need.

NYE Party - have an animal party! Get dressed up in your craziest animal print and put on a feast Tarzan would indulge in. Two-dollar entry means two-dollars donated to the animal organisation of your choice. Raising money has never been so much fun. RAHHHH!!

Voice It - use your voice it's the greatest gift your parents ever gave you! Pound the pavements, sign petitions and get your friends involved. No matter how small the effort we can all make a difference to the world our animals live in this silly season.

Nadia Crighton is from SAFE, New Zealand's most proactive animal advocacy organisation.

Christmas is coming, so are your vegetarian friends

Tips to keep everyone happy!

Catering for vegetarians

There is nothing better than being prepared and appreciated. If you are hosting friends find out whether any of your guests are vegetarian or vegan. Vegetarians don't eat meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish, crustacea or any other product which has been made from slaughtering an animal. They also tend to use free-range eggs. Vegans go a bit further by also cutting out milk, dairy products, eggs and honey.

It's also helpful to remember that vegetarians and vegans, like anybody else, may have food allergies or things that they just don't like. If you're going to cook something special for them, it's well worth a quick chat in advance to make sure that your efforts will be appreciated.

Read the labels

If you're not used to shopping for vegetarians, the main things to watch out for are animal fat, gelatine (which turns up in lots of desserts) and animal rennet (which can be used in cheese). Many E-numbers are also animal derived. More on those here.

Curious meat eaters!

Whatever you decide to prepare for your veggie guest, allow for a couple of extra portions because the meat-eaters almost always want some too.

Keep the veges separate

If you're having a traditional Christmas dinner your veggie guests will probably enjoy sharing the roast potatoes, veg and gravy, so cook them in vegetable oil, separately from the meat.

Compassionate celebrations

Beers and wines are often fined or clarified with animal products. This process stops the drink from becoming cloudy. For a helpful list of vegan beer and wine.