Dreading fighting the crowds at the mall? Avoid the Black Friday blues with our top picks for fab cruelty-free finds for everyone on your list.

Forever 21's extensive line of bags, wallets, and luggage for women is made from faux leather, mock croc, faux fur, and fun animal prints that are perfect for trendsetters who know that real dead animal skin is as out of fashion as a 1980s paint-splashed blue-jean bag. The store has a superb line of belts, travel bags, and duffles for men too. For more cruelty-free fashion than you can shake a candy cane at, check out PETA's page at the überhip fashion site Polyvore.

Kids will love the new Fincredibles lifelike aquariums. It wouldn't be right to put fish in a tiny bowl or butterflies or fireflies in a jar, but these fool-your-friends electronic animals won't mind at all.

There's a foodie in every family, and even the most discerning taste buds won't be able to resist a gift basket filled with elegant vegan caviar, melt-in-your-mouth chocolates, and a plethora of vegan cheeses.

For the most difficult creature to buy for, the person who has everything, try a gift that everyone loves: luscious soy candles in all sizes and scents from Universol Aromas. Or, for an equally scentsational gift, opt for vegan soaps from Lush in fragrances such as Sexy Peel, Rock Star, Queen of Hearts, and Temptation. PETA also offers a guide to cruelty-free beauty products in every price range.

Everyone loves a fun day out or a night on the town, so give the gift of entertainment with tickets to professional or college sporting events, concerts, theater productions, art shows, or stand-up comedy. Check with the ticket offices at your local venues or visit Stubhub.

If you're still stumped, give a gift card! Gift cards for the PETA Catalog are available in any dollar amount, and the lucky recipient can choose clothing, accessories, books, beauty products, bags, travel bottles, and loads more while helping animals with every purchase.

Happy holidays!

By now, the whole world knows about the horrors of the Canadian seal slaughter. With demonstrations taking place around the world, it's pretty hard not to notice. Our friends in Canada, Germany, and cities across the U.S. have been out on the streets to spread the word. Check out some photos of recent demonstrations, and then visit our Action Center online to find out how you can organize your own protest.

We love LUSH for being cruelty-free, and now we love the cosmetics maker even more for teaming up with Sea Shepherd to save seals.

This concerned citizen in Detroit is holding a "hakapik," a club with a hook on the end that sealers use to bludgeon seal pups.

Our friends at PETA Germany showed up in full force to defend seals.

Londoners certainly know how to make a statement!

This Chicago demo brought tears to the eyes of onlookers. One passerby even took up a poster and joined the protest.

Inspired yet? Take a minute to read the words of a Canadian who opposes the seal slaughter, and then take action by telling the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee that you won't support the Olympic Games until Canada stops supporting the seal slaughter.

Written by Lianne Turner

bensbiz / CC

After winning us over with its tasty veggie burgers and meatless taco salads (yum!), the West Michigan Whitecaps' Fifth Third Ballpark has held a special place in our hearts. Unfortunately, the newest edition to the Whitecaps' 2009 menu has us reaching for the Pepto-Bismol.

Weighing in at a hefty 4 pounds, the Fifth Third Burger contains a whopping 4,800 calories. Between two 8-inch buns lie five 1/3-pound beef patties and enough fixins' to make even the heartiest eaters clutch their chests in horror: a cup of chili, five slices of American cheese, salsa, nacho cheese, Fritos, lettuce, tomato, and sour cream. And what do you get for finishing this artery-clogging sandwich? A T-shirt.

Well, PETA is challenging anyone who chows down on the Fifth Third Burger to take on a side order of all the resources it took to create the massive meal. Producing just one pound of animal flesh takes 16 pounds of grain and 2,468 gallons of water. You're probably busy gagging over the mere thought of this monstrous burger, so I'll do the math for you: on top of the 4-pound sandwich, you'll be required to shovel in 27 pounds of grain and wash it down with 4,000 gallons of water. Think you can handle it?

For those gourmands who are intent on ingesting several days' worth of food in one sitting, we're asking the Whitecaps to offer the Fifth Third Veggie Burger. Vegetarian burgers don't waste all the valuable resources that meat products do, so they're a guilt-free indulgence for baseball fans who care about animals and the planet.

Written by Liz Graffeo

If you've kept up with our campaigns, you're well aware of the horrors of the factory farms and slaughterhouses that supply chickens to greasy fast-food joints such as KFC and McDonald's. After learning about the cruelty that goes into making every "Happy Meal" (more like Unhappy Meal), some PETA members took to the streets to turn the tables on old Ronald.

Check out these photos, and then send a letter to McDonald's and let officials there know that you won't stand for any more McCruelty.

Finally, the chicken gets revenge. He's boiling mad that his brothers were scalded alive.

So, Ronald, how does it feel to be on the other end of the knife? The chickens aren't too happy about it either.

Written by Lianne Turner

OK, so essentially everyone in the developed world has at least heard of PETA’s “I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur” campaign. At least everyone with access to a TV, computer, radio or newspaper. And, to be honest, we’re quite proud of the campaign’s success.

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It’s pretty clear we’re all about getting naked for a good cause, so I was thrilled to hear about UK-based Lush Cosmetics’ new “naked” marketing campaign. And since the company is as animal-friendly as they come, I love it even more.

TreeHugger/Creative Commons