Vegan Peace Blog: Vegan Christmas

December 23, 2009

Vegan Christmas

I wanted to post it a lot earlier in the week. It has been a very busy month!

This month I will be having vegan guides and recipes for the four main winter holidays this month: Hanukkah (Chanukah), Christmas, Yule, and Kwanzaa.

Christmas begins on December 25 (January 7 in some Eastern churches).

Christmas is an annual holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. Christmas is central to the Christmas and holiday season, and in Christianity marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days. Although traditionally a Christian holiday, Christmas is also widely celebrated by many non-Christians, and some of its popular celebratory customs have pre-Christian or secular themes and origins. In addition, Father Christmas (known as Santa Claus in some areas, including North America, Australia and Ireland) is a popular mythological figure in many countries, associated with the bringing of gifts for children. Saint Nicholas/Sinterklaas had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, and thus became the model for Santa Claus. Popular modern customs of the holiday include gift-giving, music/carol, sending greeting cards, church celebrations, eating a feast, spending time with family, and the display of various decorations; including Christmas trees, lights, and garlands, mistletoe, nativity scenes, and holly.

Foods:
The traditional/typical [vegan] Christmas foods consumed are goose, turkey, pork, chicken, ham, beef, marzipan cake or candy, panettone, stuffing, various vegetables & fruits (corn, peas, creamed onions, broccoli, squash, potatoes, pumpkin, mangoes, cherries, apples, dried fruits, oranges, lime, jícama, beets, bananas, creamed spinach, root vegetables, etc), cranberry sauce, breads, figgy pudding, cookies, candy canes, rum ball, fruitcake/other cakes, gingerbread/gingerbread houses, savory pies (mince, pot, shepherd's), stews, pudding, dessert pies (pecan, apple, sweet potato, pumpkin), trifle, salad, stollen, nuts, wassail, eggnogg, hot chocolate, coffee, tea, liqueurs, and cider.

Menus:
Vegan Peace Blog Extensive Recipe Round-Up: