I am a big fan of bold, over-sized bags. That must be the reason I find Big Buddha’s holiday line of bags so enchanting.  The shimmery faux leather and croc and knitted hobos beg you to fill them with all of your holiday season necessities. I love how they are not over the top and gaudy, as some wintery handbags tend to be. All Big Buddha Bags are inexpensive, so it wont make too big of a dent in your holiday fund.

Unfortunately you can only get a hold of these bags via fashion trade shows at a few boutiques, and the occasional website.  Not directly off of their site.

As far as I can tell, all of Big Buddha’s bags are vegan. There is no official disclaimer on the site. Just make sure to double check with your seller about a particular bag, before you purchase.

Neoncollective.com - An awesome online vegan shoe boutique that carries high end shoes and bags with the “highest possible eco-credentials”. Be sure to sign up for the mailing list to get up to date info on any sales or additions to the boutique!

The bad news is the Etsy For Animals shop is closing down The good news is everything is 25% off with free shipping.

Check out Ecorazzi’s interview with The Discerning Brute, Joshua Katcher and Chloe Jo Berman from the amazing site, GirlieGirlArmy. They talk about their favorite trends and products, current and new projects, and what “New Vegan” is.

Peppermint Bark has forever been my winter holiday staple. However, Its incredibly hard to find a vegan version of the minty-chocolatey treat. But never fear people, here is a recipe.

PETA continues to freak me out with their over-the-top marketing by revealing a line of coffins. ummm.. neat?

mmmm… taco dip.

Did you know there is a free online vegan culinary magazine? Now you do! Chef Jason Wyrick’s  The Vegan Culinary Experience is chock full of amazing vegan and raw recipes from famous chefs. Check out the November/December issue for some awesome holiday recipes.

Noooooo! Té Casan has gone out of business, bringing with it Natalie Portman’s line of vegan shoes. With some searching you can still randomly find them online. Hurry up and find some before they are gone forever!

In Fall of 2009 Alicia Silverstone is set to release a book entitled “The Kind Diet”, detailing the benefits of a vegan lifestyle and the links between the food we eat and the world around us. Yay Alicia! Keep rocking on with your ethical awesomeness!

Vegan Chef and Author, Robin Robertson is calling for recipe testers for her new book 1,000 Vegan Recipes. Email her for info on this amazing opportunity!

Pumpkin swirl brownies.. brownies are my kryptonite!

Emily from livingcrueltyfree (a blog about buying cruelty free household and beauty products, and boycotting inhumane factory farms) has decided to take the next step and go vegan for the month of December.  She is chronicling each day by including the struggles she faces, along with the benefits she experiences. She also keeps note of everything she eats! What a wonderful insight on what its like to become vegan! Please take a look at Emily’s blog and give her all the love and support she needs on her journey! Hopefully she will love fer newfound lifestyle so much she will permanantly convert!

GirlieGirl Army recently posted a shopping guide for the fabulous ethical betch in your life. Check it out and buy me some shoes

The Bird Substitute

This all depends if you are a fake meat kind of person or not. You don’t have to go with mock turkey as your main course, although some like to go that route to keep their meal somewhat traditional.

Tofurkey: The most popular turkey substitute I can think of. This is fairly easy to prepare and comes with gravy, dumplings, and amazing wild rice stuffing that is already inside! Just by choosing a tofurkey, half of your meal is complete.

Celebration Roast: A gourmet version of the tofurkey. This is an artisan-made vegan grain meat with a sausage-style stuffing made from butternut squash, apples, and mushrooms.

You can also make your own from scratch!

*For tips on how to prepare your faux roast go here.

Seitan Stuffed Squash - An interesting alternative to the main course.

Nut Roast - A delightful concoction of various nuts, spices, and bread in loaf form. There are tons of different recipes, although this one sounds pretty good.

If you want to go all out, try some veg stuffing.

The Sides

This is where you can go nuts and cook whatever you want. There are so many vegan side dishes to choose from.. I don’t even know where to start!

Keeping with the harvest theme, here are some faves:

Roasted Pumpkin Salad

Orange yams

Cranberry Salad

Broccoli Crunch

Ginger roasted winter veggies

Most importantly: Dessert

Pumpkin cheesecake

Apple pie

Pumpkin Spice Bread

Drinks

Eggnog

Yellowtail Wine - This has been my favorite wine since even before I was vegan.  The cork even has little kangaroo prints on it!

Hope this list helps.. Have a wonderful holiday!!

Green Vintage Purse - This adorable bag is made from a soft faux leather.  I like the fact that it looks like a mini duffle bag, and has tons of pockets!

Large Brown Hobo Purse - I love big slouchy bags, and I especially love big slouchy bags that can easily transition from a casual day to a night out on the town. This faux leather piece is a great addition to your essential wardrobe.

Blowfish “Falls Whiskey Trapper” vegan buckle boots - Super warm and comfy winter boots are the must-have item for every chick living in a brisk winter climate. These come in brown and black and I can’t imagine one ensemble that they wouldnt look good with.

Teardrop Filigree Earrings - These earrings are bold and beautiful and add power with a touch of elegance to any outfit. At only $6, you can’t lose.

Turquoise turtleneck organic dress -Made from 100% organic cotton, this dress is soft and comfy and can be a bright addition to your winter layers.

For more fashion ideas check out Ruche’s Lookbook.

Over at Endless right now they are offering 20% off 2 pairs of boots AND free shipping! The offer is only for select styles, but those selections are pretty awesome, so I suggest you check it out. Endless has a huge inventory of vegan shoes, in their own clearly labeled category. Why doesn’t every site do this??

The Cougar Women’s Strapper boot (left) looks like something a superhero would wear. Therefore, I love them. How much fun could you have wearing these?  Still think you can’t wear white after labor day? Don’t be silly. Have fun girls!

This Madden Girl Women’s Singerr Mid Shaft Boot (middle) is totally kick ass -so kick ass I have actually posted about it before! Avaialbe in  brown, black and this fantastic shimmery grey color. These boots make me drool.

The Nine West Women’s Genisis Boot (right) is unbelievably sexy and feminine. I think a women wearing these boots can get anything she wants.. ANYTHING. And she doesn’t even have to say please.

I have no idea when this sale ends, so try to jump on it real quick if you see anything that strikes your fancy. Enjoy!

Starting in October and ending in May my body temperature drops to a freezing level and I can only be saved by scorching hot showers and big cozy sweaters. I’m talking big-clunky-wraparound-throw-over-anything-made-by-eskimos sweaters. Unfortunately these sweaters are typically made of wool and I have had an awful time finding such sweaters in the past few years since I have made the choice to go vegan. But alas, I have found a big warm sweater made from cotton, and not just any cotton, organic cotton! Its warm and its soft and it makes my soul smile.

Check out The Graduate Sweater made by ID Organics. Each sweater is made fairly, by hand, and aparently just for me.

Non-toxic nail polish and remover -It feels good to have some options to paint my nails again.

Another reason to buy local and organic -Surprise! Your conventional fruit is now more toxic than ever!

I want this cake for my birthday - I don’t care what you have to do to get it.

Nimli.com -Just in case you haven’t discovered this yet. Probably the greatest eco-chic and  mostly vegan online boutique ever!

Zipper jewelry - That is correct, jewelry made from zippers!

Enter to win a Tofurkey -Just in time for Tofurkey Day!

Find something to eat anywhere -An extensive list of vegan items available at almost every chain restaraunt you can think of.

Look for this currently unnamed line at your local Payless Shoesource in April 2009!

Say hello to Dalia, a collection of evening gowns that are beautifully designed and handcrafted using innovative methods and technology. Most of Dalia’s dresses are vegan (look for the “V” underneath each dress), and all are absolute head-turners. What a way to look gorgeous at a holiday party and not compromise your ethics.

For every gown sold, a portion of the proceeds is donated to Women for Women International and they also plant a tree in the Tahoe National Forest in your name.  Can you say that about your Dior gown? I think not.

Now all I need is a formal event!

LUSH is also celebrating WVD by offering a free vegan bath bomb or soap on orders over $55. Only untill November 3rd with the promo code: VEGAN08DAY. Employees of LUSH have also vowed to go vegan today for at least 24 hours. Shop assistants will be dressed like vegetables and giving out vegan treats, so if you live near a LUSH store please feel free to stop in and see the spectacle. Just in case you are not aware, LUSH always sells all veg friendly and cruelty free products with 76% of their items clearly marked as vegan.