Sufjan Stevens Announces ‘Worst Christmas Ever!’, Featuring New Original Holiday Song, Now Available to Pre-Order

We know it’s too early to be talking about Christmas, but Sufjan Stevens’ Worst Christmas Ever! is coming, and we couldn’t wait to tell you.

On November 6th, Asthmatic Kitty Records will release Worst Christmas Ever!, a single-album collection that distills Sufjan Stevens’ expansive holiday catalog into one record. Fifteen fan favorites, drawn from more than one hundred Christmas recordings across the box sets Songs for Christmas and Silver & Gold, will arrive alongside a new original, “On This Christmas (It Only Gets Better),” Sufjan’s first new Christmas song in nearly fifteen years. The new track is built around apology, self-assessment, and asking for forgiveness: “On this Christmas, I ask forgiveness for all the funny things I’ve said and done,” Sufjan sings.

It all started in 2001, when Sufjan set out to make a Christmas gift for friends and family and ended up with a seven-song recording he called Noel, Vol. 1. Every few Christmases he made another one, always the same way: one week in December, usually at home, pulling in whoever was around, which meant collaborations with Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National, Richard Reed Parry of Arcade Fire, Cat Martino, Gabriel Kahane, and members of Danielson. Asthmatic Kitty released the first five volumes as a set in 2006 and the next five in 2012.

Fourteen years after that last volume, Worst Christmas Ever! is the first time Sufjan’s holiday music has been compiled into a single record.

Worst Christmas Ever! is available to pre-order now on vinyl, CD and cassette + a limited “On This Christmas (It Only Gets Better)” 7″.

PRE-ORDER ‘WORST CHRISTMAS EVER!’

TRACKLIST:

Silent Night
Put the Lights On The Tree
Holly Jolly Christmas
Christmas In The Room
It Came Upon A Midnight Clear (Christmas Infinity Voyage Version)
Sister Winter
Joy To The World
On This Christmas (It Only Gets Better)
Angels We Have Heard On High (Christmas Infinity Voyage Version)
Only At Christmas Time
It Came Upon A Midnight Clear (Christmas Unicorn Version)
That Was The Worst Christmas Ever!
Sleigh Ride
Justice Delivers Its Gift
Auld Lang Syne
Maoz Tzur (Rock of Ages)

AKR Exclusive “candy cane” vinyl + cd & cassette available in the AKR shop

^ Candy Cane vinyl available exclusively in the Asthmatic Kitty Records Shop PLUS a limited option to bundle with a 7″ featuring the new track, “On This Christmas (It Only Gets Better)”

Exclusive retail editions + CD and cassette available at participating shops

^From left to right:
“Christmas Explosion” Vinyl is available exclusively at Rough Trade.
“Mistletoe Split” Vinyl is available exclusively at Barnes & Noble.
“Peppermint Swirl” Vinyl is available exclusively at Dinked retailers.
“Rudolph Red” Vinyl is available at all major and indie retailers.

Worst Christmas Ever! Merchandise

In addition to the LP, we’ve got a bounty of Worst Christmas Ever! merchandise – including the “I Am Santa’s Helper” beanie in a new colorway, a cover-art puzzle, ceramic mug hand-glazed by Sufjan, a “Worst Christmas Ever!” ugly Christmas sweater / sweatpant combo, wrapping paper featuring art from the cover, Christmas greeting cards, a sad tree air freshener and more. A little something for everyone, whether you’re a longtime fan or brand new to the Sufmas season.

SHOP THE ‘WORST CHRISTMAS EVER!’ COLLECTION