Vegetarian Thanksgiving

The number one reason that the folks at www.gentlethanksgiving.org give to skip turkey this Thanksgiving? You won't fall asleep during the football game.

While this list of top 10 reasons to go vegetarian for Thanksgiving is somewhat of a joke, it speaks to a growing trend among those concerned with animal rights, environmentalism and health issues. Many people choose to leave the meat out of their holiday celebrations and now there are more options than ever for those who want to do a vegetarian holiday.

The famed Ithaca eatery, Moosewood Restaurant, recognizes the rising tide of vegetarianism in its latest cookbook, "Moosewood Restaurant Celebrates," published last year. For years, says David Hirsch, co-owner of Moosewood, vegetarians and vegans have felt left out of holiday celebrations that largely revolved around meat dishes.