Vegan Break

Season’s Greetings, Friends!

The onset of Winter brings the delightful opportunity to splurge on gifts for friends and loved ones. Nothing beats the warm fuzzy feeling of showing a friend how much you appreciate them by sending them a gift.

Thus, I bring to you a list of my Top 10 Vegan Holiday Gift Recommendations of 2012. It’s never been so easy to send gifts that are vegan and cruelty-free, and I hope this guide helps you find the perfect animal-friendly gifts for everyone on your list.

I wish you all the happiest of holidays filled with family, friends, food and festivities!

Much Love,
Michelle

1. Holiday cards. Why send another Hallmark card when you can send beautiful cards designed by Farm Sanctuary, Mercy for Animals or PETA? Many charities have beautiful holiday cards available for purchase at their online stores, and they need your support far more than Hallmark!

2. Vegan Cookbooks. Everybody cooks, right!? Vegan cookbooks make the perfect gift for friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, in-laws and even your mailman. And with literally thousands of vegan cookbooks on the market, you can find one that suits absolutely anyone. The health nut. The baker. The busy mom. The artisan cheese lover. The college student. The gourmet foodie. Everyone. And what’s better? You can never have too many in your collection! Plus, any purchases made on Amazon after clicking through VeganBreak.com links generate proceeds which I donate to Mercy for Animals each month. A win-win!

3. Treats and Sweets. Obviously a must. I have three favorites in this category, and the first is Cinnaholic. The best vegan bakery of all time. You can ship these freshly baked vegan cinnamon rolls with an assorted variety of frostings anywhere in America. Next up? Allison’s Gourmet. She has cookies, truffles, caramels and more, and no words can describe how good her treats are. Finally? Obsessive Confections Disorder. Abandon this page right now and order some of their Caramel Not Corn, “Winter Woof” (peppermint bark), and Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce. Did I mention they make vegan Twix bars?

                         

4. T-Shirts. For the vegans in your life, you know they’ll always love a new animal rights T-shirt. My two favorite T-shirt companies are Herbivore Clothing Company and Compassion Company. I have met the owners of these companies and have shirts from each, and can assure you that these are the most compassion-minded companies with very high-quality products and incredible designs.

5. Vegan Jewelry. Every vegan chica needs a hand-stamped necklace made by Christy Robinson. She is constantly coming out with new animal-inspired designs that make for an affordable, thoughtful and memorable gift that can last forever.

6. Soaps, Bath Bombs & Bubble Bars. One word: LUSH. First, they have the best smelling store in America. Second, they have an entire “Fight Animal Testing” campaign and are loud and proud in advocating for animal rights. Finally, they have pre-bundled vegan-labeled holiday packages making it easy for you to send bathtime goodies to the friends in your life who need to relax!
 7. Soy Candles. Lately I have been obsessed with candles. A single candle can fill a room with the smell of fresh baked cookies, Christmas pine or cider spices, and can set the mood with the flicker of a match. Check out animal rights superstar Ari Soloman’s vegan candle company, A Scent of Scandal. Out of your price range? Check out other soy candle options on Amazon.

8. Vegan Merchandise. Go immediately to VeganCuts.com and PETACatalog.com and you’ll be overwhelmed by the creative, beautifully designed, and brand-new items that work perfectly as gifts. Animal Rights-themed mason jars? Check. New vegan specialty food products? Check. Message tote bags? Check. You’ll find something for all your animal loving friends at these two shops. Plus, Vegan Cuts always has amazing deals and they have even put together their own holiday gift guide!

9. Gifts cards. Nothing screams “impersonal” like another Starbucks or Target gift card.  If you’re going to give a gift card, give one with meaning and heart. Check out TisBest.org where you can get a gift card that the recipient can redeem for any charity of their choice. You can also often get gift cards to local vegan restaurants, nonprofit merchandise stores (such as Farm Sanctuary), and vegan online merch shops like Herbivore Clothing Company, Food Fight Grocery, MooShoes, Alternative Outfitters and many others.
10. Virtual Gifts and Animal Adoptions. Need a last minute gift? Here’s your answer. Virtual gifts are the hottest charitable gifts to send to friends. Many organizations have virtual gift programs where you can virtually adopt an animal at a sanctuary or even send a toy to a chained backyard dog. You can even schedule the customizable e-cards to arrive in a friend’s inbox on Hanukkah or Christmas morning!

PS. Don’t forget, anything you buy on Amazon.com after clicking through VeganBreak.com links generates referral proceeds which I donate to Mercy for Animals!