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This Thanksgiving, don’t eat turkey. That’s right, I said it.

I know that to most people this is a frightening thought. You can’t imagine what in the world you’d eat on Thanksgiving, if not turkey! After all, it’s TRADITION. But let’s please remember that Thanksgiving is about so much more than turkey. It’s about family, friends, country, and giving thanks; it’s not about the meat.

As a matter of fact, the “traditional” American Thanksgiving meal of turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie is less based on historical facts and more based on one woman’s recipes in a popular magazine. According to Colleen Patrick-Goudreau:

Much of what informs our consciousness about this holiday is myth – a romanticized notion rather than informed facts, which, by the way, is fine. It’s fine to use myth to create our rituals and traditions. The point I want to make is that when we eat turkeys and pumpkin pie and cranberries on Thanksgiving, if we think we’re being true to some sacred tradition based on a real event, we’re not.

We can have whatever we want at Thanksgiving, but let’s not justify the use of something like dead turkeys at Thanksgiving with any kind of rational explanation or historical reference. It’s just not there.

As early as 1827, [Sarah Josepha] Hale, who became the editor of a popular magazine, began calling for a national celebration of Thanksgiving and so began a 40-year quest to make this happen.

Hale, in her magazine, began writing romantic accounts of the First Thanksgiving, taking liberties to appeal to her readership and including recipes for roasted turkeys, bread stuffing, and pumpkin pies – all the things that today’s holiday meals are still likely to contain – and none of the things that would have actually been on the table of the first Thanksgiving. They wouldn’t have had flour-based bread or pie or cranberries or sweet or white potatoes, and they didn’t eat with forks.

If your Thanksgiving meals are anything like my family’s there will be more than plenty to eat if you simply leave the turkey off your plate.  Load up on mashed potatoes, green beans, broccoli, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, rolls, stuffing (if it’s meatless), and of course, pumpkin and pecan pie! You could even offer to make a vegetarian dish.  Here are 10 delicious vegetarian Thanksgiving suggestions.

Ok, so you might get asked a few questions (my brief thoughts on that here, point #2), but you’ll embrace the true spirit of the holiday by celebrating life, and nothing tastes better than that.

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If you’re really feeling inspired this Thanksgiving, you can even adopt a turkey.  Instead of paying for that Butterball, save a life!

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I’m the new Austin Vegan Examiner at Examiner.com! Be sure to check out my articles and subscribe (use the RSS button or the ‘subscribe’ button).

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Breakfast: A bagel with Earth Balance buttery spread
Lunch: Two bean burrito frescos from Taco Bell. Taco Bell’s beans are lard-free.
Dinner: Buffalo ‘chicken’ sandwich made with Morning Star Chik Patties and wing sauce