When it comes time for giving vegan friends and family Christmas gifts, what's a non-vegan to choose? Having been a vegetarian (not vegan) for over seven years, and having worked at a vegetarian caf? that catered to vegans, I have compiled ten tips to help you decide what to buy for your vegan friends at Christmas this year.1. Before you buy, find out why your friend or family member is vegan.People choose to "go vegan" for different reasons. Some vegans are vegan because they have health issues, health concerns, or food allergies, while other vegans have ethical problems with the meat industry. Still other vegans have turned to veganisim due to some combination of ethical and health concerns - believing that meat industry standards are both cruel and dangerous for our health, they have opted to stick to veggies, fruits, and grains, instead.Understanding why your friend is vegan will make a difference when you are shopping for a vegan Christmas gift - see some of the Christmas gift ideas below designed for the health-conscious versus the ethics-conscious.2. Before you buy, find out if your vegan friend is also into raw foods.One big trend among health-conscious vegetarians and vegans today is raw foods. According to raw foods philosophy, cooking food destroys its natural nutritional value, and it is healthier for the human body not to have any foods that have been cooked above a certain temperature. This makes a difference, too, because if your vegan friend is also into raw foods, then he or she might not want something like vegan sweets that are not also made in a raw foods style.
3. Find out if your vegan friend has a juicer.One of my favorite food toys - a Christmas gift I would recommend for anyone, vegan or not - is my juicer. A "juicer" does exactly that: it takes whole vegetables and fruits and extracts the juice, shooting out the plant fiber into one container and the juice into another container. A juicer is an indispensable tool (and a fun toy) for any vegan. But many vegans, especially those who have been vegan longer than a few years, may already have a juicer, so before you buy a juicer as a Christmas gift for your vegan friend, check to see if they already have one.4. Vegan restaurant gift certificates are also fun.In my city, I'm not sure if we even have a vegan restaurant - however, we do have several wonderful vegetarian restaurants that carry vegan options. Do a little research online to find vegetarian and vegan restaurants in your area, and if you know any vegan or vegetarian people, ask their opinion, too. Buying a good-sized gift certificate to one of these vegan restaurants would be a great Christmas gift for vegan friends.5. Get a vegan dessert for Christmas dinner.If your vegan friend is dining in your home for Christmas dinner and you're not used to making vegan food, surprise your friend by buying or baking a vegan dessert. Many vegan and vegetarian restaurants, knowing that sweets are one of the things most vegans miss about not having animal products, will stock vegan cakes, vegan cookies, and other vegan treats. Buy a vegan cake in advance of your Christmas dinner and watch your vegan friend's face light up when you bring it out and tell them that they, too, can eat it!6. Vegan shoes for Christmas will delight your vegan friend.As I mentioned earlier, some vegans don't want anything to do with animal products - not in their body, and not on their body, either. This includes having shoes that are not made of leather or with any other animal products. A little research online will reveal many places to buy vegan shoes.7. In addition to vegan shoes for Christmas, consider vegan wallets, shirts, purses, etc.But shoes aren't the only thing we wear that usually include animal products. Most wallets, belts, purses, etc. also include leather or another animal product. So before buying your vegan friend a Christmas gift one of these items, check online to see if you have vegan options. Your vegan friend will appreciate it.8. For new vegans, get a vegan cookbook for Christmas.If your friend is newly vegan, the chances are that he or she is still trying to figure out exactly HOW to be vegan and HOW to eat without getting bored of the same raw veggies and tofu. The truth is that veganism leaves plenty of room for creative cooking, but non-vegans and new vegans might not realize that yet. Go to your local bookstore and help your vegan friend out by getting him or her a vegan cookbook this Christmas.9. Speaking of books, new vegans might like a book about veganism this Christmas.Again, new vegans might still be learning how to navigate their newly veganized world. Consider giving them one of the many books on veganism for Christmas to help them learn about their new lifestyle.10. Don't forget that "vegan" and "vegetarian" are different.When buying your Christmas gift this year, remember that "vegan" means NO animal products whatsoever, whereas your typical vegetarian will still eat dairy products and eggs. Don't use the words interchangeably, and don't work hard finding a vegan Christmas gift for a vegetarian, or make a vegetarian Christmas meal for a vegan. Educate yourself first, and save you and your vegan friend any awkward moments this Christmas. By K. N. Singer
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