Rolling Stone (p.114) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "Stevens' fragile banjo-and-tenor caroling is lovely, and several of his own songs belong in the Xmas canon..."
Entertainment Weekly (p.85) - "[His] rare combination of deep religiosity and dark whimsy makes SONGS FOR CHRISTMAS the season's most thrilling holiday release." -- Grade: A
Q (p.152) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "Amassing 42 tracks, from the traditional to whimsical originals, it's testament to his prolific work rate. There's not shortage of seasonal cheer either..."
Uncut (p.98) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "The tone is generally one of mild encouragement....The tracks offering a slightly askance look at the festive season are most entertaining..."
CMJ (p.5) - "[T]racks meant to bring peace on earth and goodwill towards men....There isn't much not to like here."
Never one to lack ambition, indie-pop hero Sufjan Stevens takes the tried-and-true holiday album to a new level with this 2006 five-disc Christmas box set. A mix of Stevens originals and Yuletide classics recorded between 2001 and '06, the collection presents the amiable singer/multi-instrumentalist performing festive self-penned tunes such as the bouncy, piano-driven "Come On! Let's Boogey to the Elf Dance!" and the White Stripes-referencing, ELO-influenced "Get Behind Me, Santa!" along with no less than three versions of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel." While five discs may seem exhausting to some, for those who adore both Christmas and Stevens, this lovingly assembled compilation makes for hours of smart, celebratory fun.