Hey vegetarians. I know you’re out there. It is officially holiday season, which means we have to face our worst nightmare, the questions at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's: the triple whammy. Sure, we have January through October to eat what we want without the constant hassle of answering questions about our personal choices. But here we are, Thanksgiving has passed, and we still have another month of this.
Why aren’t you eating turkey/ham?
Don’t you like meat?
I could never live like that.
How do you get your protein?
Oh come on, you aren’t serious?
I love the holiday season, and I love getting together with friends and family over a meal. It’s just this one aspect that triggers the angry vegetarian in me. I’m not questioning you about why you eat meat, and I’m not shouting for animal rights. I’m just trying to roast some chestnuts by the open fire and rock around the Christmas tree, until that one person tries to debate with me about how I’m strange for eating the way I do.
And then here I am thinking, last Christmas I gave you my heart (my answer), but the very next day you gave it away (still questioned me).
So this post is for the vegetarians during the holiday season that are still filled with Christmas cheer and singing loud for all to hear. Actually, here’s to the vegetarians that are proud of their choices. Here’s to the vegetarians that calmly answer questions, even if it does get redundant. And here’s to the vegetarians that will get through the judgment while still enjoying the holiday season.
Happy holidays from my Tofurky plate to yours.
Sheetal Tadiparty
Flickr Creative Commons
