PETA’s Darkly Humorous Ad Exposes Carnage Behind the Christmas Cheer

Are your eyes closed to mindless mass murder this festive season? PETA’s latest Christmas ad shines a light on the ‘violent night’ the holiday can – but needn’t – be.

Watch the chilling – yet darkly humorous – advert, created in collaboration with advertising agency Grey London and directed by David Shane, now:

Casually chatting and joking, the family members remain oblivious to the gory scene their meaty meals are causing, just as many humans close their eyes to the suffering behind festive dishes made from the corpses of animals who, only weeks prior, were thinking, feeling individuals.

The video ends with a sombre reminder that over 180 million animals are slaughtered in the UK alone during the festive season – and an appeal to spare animals this Christmas and beyond by going vegan.

Christmassacre Billboards

In addition to the advert, a series of giant billboard images, reminding passersby that the festive season is a Christmassacre for animals, has popped up in Shepherd’s Bush, London. At first glance, each of the three images on rotation resembles Santa’s iconic red and white suit, but on closer inspection, they feature an image of bloodied animal feathers, skin, or fleece.

The striking billboard series transforms the traditional symbol of peace and goodwill into a stark reminder of what Christmas means for turkeys, cows, sheep, and other animals.

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Christmas Anything But ‘Peace on Earth’ For Animals

The festive season is about appreciating time with our families, indulging in the activities we love, and making the most of every day, but all these things are denied to the animals farmed for our food.

The Miserable Lives of ‘Christmas Turkeys’

Turkeys are intelligent and gentle, and make for doting parents when given the chance. But, in the UK, millions spend their short, miserable lives crammed into filthy sheds before being sent to slaughter at just 9 to 24 weeks of age. It’s estimated that 10 million turkeys are killed each year for Christmas alone.

The Pain Behind Pigs in Blankets

The story is similar for the 1.75 million pigs killed during the festive season in the UK. Pigs are clever and playful, just like the dogs with whom many of us will share Christmas, but they suffer immensely in the food system. Subject to a series of mutilations from birth, confined to crowded barns, pigs are only 6 to 10 months old when slaughtered for ham.

The Reality of Roast Beef

Beef Wellington may be  popular Christmas fare, but the 450,000 cows and bulls killed over the festive season are far from well. Confined to dark and dirty factory farms, cows and bulls, who form strong bonds with friends and family if given the chance, are denied everything important to them on filthy factory farms. At just 18 months old, slaughterhouse workers slit their throats and dismember their bodies.

Don’t Host a Christmassacre at Your Table

Now that your eyes are open to how horrifically animals suffer to become part of your Christmas meal, don’t ignore the bloody truth. You can make the compassionate decision to leave them off your plate.

It’s easier than ever to start a new tradition of serving a delicious animal-free, planet-friendly vegan Christmas feast.

Check out our guide to meatless Christmas roasts:

Fill up your table with these homemade festive dishes: