Dear Mom, It will be great to see you over the holidays. I miss you so much, and I’m really looking forward to spending time with you. There’s just one thing I’m not looking forward to—dinner. Every year, we have turkey, and you know how much it saddens me to see a dead bird at the center of our table. I can’t really enjoy dinner when I’m thinking about the horrible life and cruel death that the poor bird endured. Before ending up as our centerpiece, this gentle bird spent five to six months packed tightly in a dark shed with thousands of other turkeys, all mired in their own waste. To keep the overcrowded birds from scratching and pecking each other to death, factory workers slice off their upper beaks and toes with a hot blade—without anesthetics. Many turkeys are still conscious when their throats are slit, and the terrified birds are often boiled alive in the tank of scalding water used for feather removal. It’s truly awful. But I’m not just concerned about the turkeys. I also worry about you and dad and how unhealthy it is for you to eat all the animal products that you do. You have to admit it: Your health is not that great, and it’s because of the fatty, high-cholesterol, artery-clogging animal products that you eat. Turkey is really not a health food, Mom. It is loaded with even more fat and cholesterol than many cuts of beef—and you know how bad that is. In fact, a turkey’s leg contains 72 milligrams of cholesterol and is 47 percent fat. Turkey doesn’t even have any redeeming nutritional value. It is completely devoid of fiber and carbohydrates, and of course, you’ve heard that turkey is often contaminated with listeria, salmonella, campylobacter, and other potentially deadly bacteria. Approximately 13 percent of raw turkeys are contaminated with salmonella, which causes an estimated 1.3 million illnesses and 500 deaths every year. It’s so easy to eat humane and healthy at the holidays—and all year round. There are several fantastic fake turkey products, such as Tofurky, Unturkey, Tofu Turkey, and more. And I have some of the most mouth-watering holiday recipes around, like a poultry-free pot pie, harvest stuffing, chive mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. Most traditional holiday foods can be made vegan simply by using soy milk, egg replacer, and nondairy margarine. Trust me, when you see how easy and delicious it is, you’ll want to eat vegetarian food all year long! And considering that the three biggest killers in this country—heart disease, cancer, and stroke—can all be prevented by switching to a vegetarian diet, my mind would really be at ease to see you eat better. I want you to be around for a long time, and a vegetarian diet is the best way to ensure that. Why don’t we start off with a great-tasting, cruelty-free, healthy holiday feast? I’ll even do the cooking. What more could you ask for? I’m really looking forward to it. Love, John