18 More Vegan-Friendly Christmas Carols

"At this table, everyone is welcome
At this table, everybody cares
At this table, everybody matters
So, come, pull up a chair"

-Idina Menzel,
"At This Table"

Outreaching, Outreaching

Though words themselves can't technically be vegan (or non-vegan), they are the tools we wield to convey our opinions and prejudices. In the case of non-vegan Christmas carols, our words often condone, even extol, animal abuse. Like last year, the following songs contain no lyrics glorifying animal use, consumption, or any other form of exploitation. With these carols, there's no need to worry that you're accidentally singing along to songs exalting animal exploitation!

The List (This Year, I Checked It Thrice!)

1. "Caroling, Caroling"

   1. Sometimes it's nice to have a simple song with simple lyrics, and that's what I feel with this song, though I have to say I very much like the lines, "Joyous voices sweet and clear/ Sing the sad of heart to cheer." Music truly is one of the most powerful, near-magical forces in existence with its ability to lift our spirits when we feel glum.

2. "The Holly and the Ivy"

   1. I didn't think songs could be considered plant-based, but here's living proof! Though one line mentions "gall," since it's in reference to a holly berry, I think we can assume that the song isn't referencing an animal's gallbladder.

3. "Believe"

   1. This song wouldn't be as powerful as it is without Josh Groban's voice. It nears the top of my list of Christmas favorites, and it gives me hope and belief that a vegan future is possible.

4. "Silver Bells"

   1. This is one of those songs that has always lingered in the background, overshadowed by my favorite Christmas songs, but I find the lyrics to be very meaningful and heartfelt. It's really about being cheerful and joyous and kind this time of year, and I appreciate that.

5. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"

   1. Though this isn't a favorite of mine, I like the balance between sadness and hopefulness in this song, and it seems very fitting for the mood during this 2020 Christmas.

6. "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24"

   1. Probably the most popular song from Trans-Siberian Orchestra, my Christmas season isn't complete without listening to this at least a dozen times. And since there are no lyrics, it's inherently vegan!

7. "Please Come Home for Christmas"

   1. This is one of several holiday tunes about being separated from loved ones over Christmas, and every time I listen to it, I'm surprised by how much I like it.

8. "Last Christmas"

   1. There's not much to say about this more modern classic Christmas song, but I find it often gets stuck in my head even though I feel pretty ambivalent about it.

9. "At This Table"

   1. Though this was only released by Idina Menzel last year, it's already one of my favorites (as you may have noticed from the quote at the top of the page). Songs that remind me of veganism and animal rights are generally the ones I find most meaningful, and this song is basically everything good about those things all wrapped up in a beautiful package. Honestly, I could listen to it endlessly.

10. "The Christmas Waltz"

    1. While the song mentions candy canes and Santa's sleigh, they aren't necessarily non-vegan, so I'll let them slide in the name of Christmas. (And, as I mentioned in "Veganizing 10 More Christmas Carols," when I imagine Santa's sleigh, it always flies magically without the need for reindeer.)

11. "Wonderful Christmastime"

    1. Most of the lyrics of this song are "Simply having a wonderful Christmastime" and "Ding dong," so it's pretty safe. This is one of those songs that I find annoying when listening to it, but then I always go back and listen again.

12. "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"

    1. This song makes me uncomfortable, and I really dislike it, but it's vegan, so there you go.

13. "Happy Holiday/The Holiday Season"

    1. Like "The Christmas Waltz," there's mention of a peppermint stick here, but I don't think that's anything to worry about, as many of those are accidentally vegan anyway.

14. "Into the Unknown"

    1. Personally, "Show Yourself" was my favorite Frozen II song, but "Into the Unknown" was the song Disney pushed to be the follow-up to "Let It Go." (Don't get me wrong, I like this song too.) While this isn't really a Christmas song, the Frozen franchise has become enmeshed with the holiday season. And the music is great for really any time of year.

15. "Auld Lang Syne"

    1. Everybody needs to "take a cup of kindness" and go vegan this Christmas!

16. "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear"

    1. I find this song to be very soothing, and I enjoy listening to it this time of year, so I'm thankful there's no mention of any animals being used and abused.

17. "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"

    1. Though the original 18th-century version of this song mentions the serpent from the Garden of Eden, the modern lyrics have no mention of any animals.

18. "Underneath the Christmas Lights"

    1. The whole chorus of this song is just the title repeated over and over, but Sia somehow makes it work. And since she's vegan, we don't really need to worry about the lyrics she writes!

be conscious, be kind, be vegan, be merry

Related posts you may enjoy:

"22 Vegan-Friendly Christmas Carols"

"Veganizing Christmas Carols"

"Veganizing 10 More Christmas Carols"

"Easy Ways to Veganize Christmas"

"The Most Terrible Time of the Year"