For over a decade and almost every Christmas, Sufjan Stevens recorded a Christmas album that he gifted to friends and family. The recording process took place every December, for one week, usually at home, provoking collaborations with friends, roommates and musical peers. In 2006, Stevens’ label, Asthmatic Kitty Records, released ‘Songs For Christmas’, a CD boxset compiling the first five of these albums, Volumes I-V. And in 2012, the label released ‘Silver & Gold’, a CD and vinyl boxset compiling of Volumes VI-X. However, the first five volumes have never been released to vinyl.

This holiday season, Asthmatic Kitty Records are finally releasing ‘Songs for Christmas’ (Volumes I-V) as a 5xLP vinyl boxset. The boxset includes fan favourites like ‘Sister Winter’, ‘That Was The Worst Christmas Ever’, ‘Only At Christmas Time’ and ‘Put The Lights On The Tree’.

“Hardly a straight-ahead Christmas album, then… Whatever, it’s Sufjan Stevens. He’s a modern wonder, and now he’s just made Christmas better as well!” – BBC

“The season’s most thrilling holiday release.” – Entertainment Weekly

“There are moments of quirky holiday splendour – moments akin to some of the best material on ‘Greetings From Michigan And Illinois’ – that make plowing through the entire five-EP set a pleasure.” – Allmusic