Turkeys for Thanksgiving -- as friends, not feast

And there will be turkeys, two of them actually -- Emily and Bruce (or possibly Brucilla -- it's a little unclear). The two 20-pounders will have most of the privileges of Dawn's other sentient guests -- a Pacific Palisades patio, a view of the ocean and vegetarian nibbles.

At Dawn's vegan holiday dinner, guests will ooh and aah' over live birds. The only turkey plunked down on her table will be Wild Turkey bourbon.

"It goes beautifully with the hot apple cider," Dawn says brightly.

The start of the major food holidays is a challenging time of the year for vegans -- people who swear off using, wearing or eating animal products of any kind, including eggs and dairy products. Although vegetarians technically don't eat animals, they may eat foods produced from them, including milk, cream, butter, cheese and eggs. But those items are banned from vegan diets.

Although vegans tout the environmental and healthful qualities of their way of eating, many adopt the lifestyle for animal welfare reasons. For some, the start of a season in which 65 million turkeys are killed for food in the United States becomes a particularly painful holiday. "Seeing a dead turkey on a table is the equivalent of other people seeing a dead dog on a table," said Lorri Bauston, a longtime animal welfare advocate and the founder of Animal Acres, a sanctuary in Acton for farm animals.

Not only do animal welfare activists abhor the killing of the birds, they take offense at the traditional ritual of making fun of the bird, even the presidential pardoning of the turkey on the grounds of the White House -- "as if the turkey had committed some crime," scoffed one.

"It's all about eating and the murder of these birds or other animals. I love the idea of giving thanks -- I just don't like the way we do it," said Patty Shenker, who for the third year will be eating her holiday dinner with her family at the vegan Native Foods restaurant in Costa Mesa. "Thanksgiving has become a dark day for me."

Turkeys are smart -- contrary to popular opinion -- companionable and affectionate, animal advocates say.

"I'm going to introduce them to my neighbors," Dawn said. "They are going to get the shock of their lives when they see how cuddly, sweet they are."