It's also a Very Sufjan Christmas

A month or so ago I splurged and purchased Sufjan Steven's Songs for Christmas CD Box set. It includes beautiful renditions of traditional Christmas songs by this indie singer song writer as well as some catchy original tunes. I listened to it all afternoon as I was baking Gingerbread Angel cookies to take over to the infirmary on Christmas.

I love Sufjan, as regular readers know. He's often a featured artist in my inner-deejay's rotation and has helped me blog the unbloggable thoughts from time to time. One thing I love about him is that he manages to integrate his faith in Jesus into his wonderful music without being too churchy or inauthentic.

Which is why I love this Christmas CD set. He gives a new twist to the old favorites, and includes songs that don't get a heavy rotation but are some of my favorites including I Saw Three Ships, Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming and Once in Royal David's City.

You can listen to two of his original Christmas songs on his label's website: That Was the Worst Christmas Ever (which is much more beautiful than the title would imply) and Sister Winter. The Bored Again Christian still has a Sufjan Christmas Podcast available from last year - which includes many of the songs from the CD Set. But it's worth a purchase in my opinion. Who could resist the combo of traditional songs and originals with titles like "Hey Guys! It's Christmas Time!" and "Did I Make You Cry on Christmas Day? [Well] You Deserved It!".

Personally I've got "Only at Christmas Time" stuck in my head:

Only to bring you peace (Only at Christmas time)
Only the King of Kings (Only what once was mine)
It takes the end of time (It takes a long, long time)
Only one thought of mine (Only at Christmas Time)

He brings us peace
He brings us joy
He brings all thoughts to destroy
(Only at Christmas Time)