Less Christmas-y Christmas songs for Wedding?

[minniebride]

Hi there,

We are an "inter-faith" couple & we are planning our wedding I put interfaith in quotes because I am Jewish and my DF is athiest. We celebrate the major Jewish holidays together, as well as the major Christian holidays together but we mostly focus on customs and traditions and fun stuff and less on the religious aspects. This works out well for us

We are currently putting together a list of songs for our harpist to play at our ceremony and cocktail hour. We are getting married during the Christmas/Hanukkah season & I would love to incorporate some songs that represent the season, without getting into religious songs, without songs that mention Jesus or God, etc....This is really mostly not to insult our parents.

We have come up with some Jewish songs that we feel are neutral, but we are having difficulty finding Winter-type songs that would be appropriate. So far we have come up with:
-Winter Wonderland
-Let it Snow
-Christmastime is Here (from Charlie Brown)-it's instrumental and I don't think people will notice or care)

Any suggestions??

Thanks!

 

[LilyWDW]

Carol of the Bells
Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas
White Christmas
The Christmas Song

I will keep looking!

 

[barkley]

it's the most wonderful time of the year

i'll be home for christmas

 

[clarabelle]

"Celebrate Me Home" -Kenny Loggins -one of my favorites

 

[Ceila]

Carol of the Bells
Silver Bells
Greensleeves
Silver and Gold

 

[tluvstink]

Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer

Just kidding! How about "All I want For Christmas Is You" or "Sleigh Ride?"

 

[AshleyW]

Home for the Holidays
Welcome Christmas (from "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas")
All I Want for Christmas is You
My Favorite Things (from "Sound of Music" .. I don't think it's necessarily a Christmas song, but I always seem to hear it around Christmas time )
Grown-Up Christmas List -- although this one might be kind of... sad?.. for a wedding.

 

[golfgal]

Since a harpist is playing the music and no singing how about some of the more traditional songs like Hark the Harold Angles Sing and O Come Emanuel. They would be just lovely on the harp (very religious words but BEAUTIFUL music).

I would suggest Carol of the Bells
Holly and the Ivy
Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire
I'll be home for Christmas


I keep coming back to the harp and playing more classical songs-which is what harp is really for. I would look at the Morman Tabernacle Choir's Christmas CD's for some good ideas. Again, the words are fairly religious but if the music isn't being sung, the songs would be just beautiful on a harp. They have one song that they sing with Sissel, "A Bleak Midwinter" that is unbelievable.

 

[Diznotyzed]

Aspenglow by John Denver

Winter-y, but not an outright Christmas song.

 

[minniebride]

Thank you-you have given me some great ideas!!

 

[snykymom]

You can't get more ecumenical than "White Christmas" - the most popular Christmas song in history, written by a little Jewish immigrant from Russia!

 

[minniebride]

You can't get more ecumenical than "White Christmas" - the most popular Christmas song in history, written by a little Jewish immigrant from Russia!

Really? Wow, I didn't know that!

 

[ksjayhawks]

Jingle bells
Frosty the snowman
rudolph the red nosed reindeer

 

[AmericangirlinFrance]

Since a harpist is playing the music and no singing how about some of the more traditional songs like Hark the Harold Angles Sing and O Come Emanuel. They would be just lovely on the harp (very religious words but BEAUTIFUL music).

I would suggest Carol of the Bells
Holly and the Ivy
Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire
I'll be home for Christmas


I keep coming back to the harp and playing more classical songs-which is what harp is really for. I would look at the Morman Tabernacle Choir's Christmas CD's for some good ideas. Again, the words are fairly religious but if the music isn't being sung, the songs would be just beautiful on a harp. They have one song that they sing with Sissel, "A Bleak Midwinter" that is unbelievable.

I think that song is "In the Bleak Midwinter" - it is a lovely English carol. The first verse is just about winter, the second two have religious words. I don't know that it would be a great one for harp though.

I would also suggest (some of these do have religious words, but they are a bit more obscure and have beautiful music). Look on Youtube if you aren't familiar with the melodies!
- Once in Royal David's City
- In Dulci Jubilo
- Sussex Carol
- What Sweeter Music
- Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella (mostly known under French name 'Un flambeau, Jeanette, Isabella)
- Personent hodie
- All My Heart this Night Rejoices
- Ding Dong, Merrily On High
- Masters in this Hall
- O Tanenbaum


Just a couple I thought of right away! I fully admit I have a huge Christmas music addiction... if you need any more ideas, I have a ridiculous collection

 

[MosMom]

Baby it's cold outside comes to mind.

Romantic, vintage sounding, and holiday season. I love that song.

 

[lovemygoofy]

We had a christmas wedding as well and in the church before the service and while they were mingling afterward we played the soundtrack from Nutcracker Suite. Just wanted to throw that in a suggestion.

 

[Sparx]

Baby it's cold outside comes to mind.

Romantic, vintage sounding, and holiday season. I love that song.

I immediately thought of this one.

 

[minniebride]

We had a christmas wedding as well and in the church before the service and while they were mingling afterward we played the soundtrack from Nutcracker Suite. Just wanted to throw that in a suggestion.

I immediately thought of this one.

These are great suggestions!!! I love "Baby it's Cold Outside!" Do you think it would sound weird on the harp though? It's such an upbeat song.

 

[Silent1CB]

I'm having a hard time imagining some of these songs played on a harp.

 

[Keli]

It's a marshmellow world is a great song but not sure how it would sound on a harp...