Vegan Christmas this year?
Christmas is a celebration of hearts. It's a tradition filled with joy that we celebrate with those we love. At Christmas, we do charitable things, we spend time with our loved ones and we eat well. But despite the fact that food is a big part of our Christmas traditions, we don't give much thought to the consequences of our food choices.
Most Danes serve pig or duck on the table on Christmas Eve. Many eat happily while the family dog lies in front of the wood-burning stove. But what kind of life has the duck or pig you eat actually had? What was their death like? And can animals feel pain or fear at all? We try to answer these questions in the brochure below (click directly on the brochure to switch pages).
Why celebrate a vegan Christmas?
For the animals
Huge numbers of animals are slaughtered every year in Denmark for Christmas - most of them are raised under intensive conditions. Every single one of these animals is an individual who deserves a free life without exploitation and suffering. Investigations by animal rights organizations have time and time again revealed the shocking reality of factory farms and slaughterhouses; brutal places where animals are treated as objects and denied their most basic needs.
For the planet
The fishing, meat, dairy and egg industries are not only bad for animals - they are also a nightmare for the environment, climate and biodiversity. The UN says rapid and unprecedented changes - including a shift to a plant-based diet - are essential to limit the catastrophic damage climate change will cause. Read more about the link between animal agriculture and climate here.
For yourself
Increased consumption of vegan food can reduce the risk of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and certain types of cancer. It also helps prevent the outbreak of zoonotic epidemics and pandemics such as Covid-19.