Songs for Christmas by Sufjan Stevens is the ultimate holiday album. Comprised of 42 songs, it’s the best kind of masterpiece. As a massive fan of Sufjan Stevens, learning that he has a Christmas album full of all of my favorite songs feels incredibly personal to me. I’ll scream from the rooftops year after year about how it’s top tier so long as I have the platform to do so.
The thing with Christmas music is that sometimes if it isn’t an original, we’ve been there and done that. There are plenty of people who release covers every year, and while they’re each great, it gets a bit redundant. For starters, no one, and I mean no one, could do “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” the way Judy Garland can, but because Stevens’ voice and style is so distinct, though these are songs we know and love, they hit differently in Songs for Christmas.
While in posts like this we usually focus on a few favorites, that’s nearly impossible to do with Songs for Christmas by Sufjan Stevens because I love each of the tracks almost equally. Instead, we’re going to geek out over the fact that somehow he captures the essence of my childhood better than most. The album is nostalgic, beautifully soulful, and the kind of Christmas dream that feels warm in every way.
The thing is, Christmas music isn’t for everybody, but I can’t help but presume that fans of Stevens would adore this album whether it’s their jam or not because the warmth in his voice is unparalleled. Every track feels like the best kind of hug. The love and heart he pours into every note hit beautifully. His original tracks, “Sister Winter” and “Star of Wonder,” feel like the kind of classics that have been with us for years.
He even covers one of my ultimate, all-time favorite worship songs, “Holy, Holy, Holy,” and for that, I might never stop being grateful.
Listen to Sufjan Stevens’ Songs for Christmas below and let us know which tracks are your favorite.