christmas spirit

First snow has arrived and left. Little white patches on the ground, not big enough to bury that sad grey sticky discomfort. A thick layer of snow makes the world look prettier, and that's enough for me this season. Hiding and forgetting works rather well most of the time. As long as it's not too cold.
So, someone told me that it's christmas in about six days. Or was it five? So I immediately started to download christmas music. To catch up a bit on that famous christmas spirit, of which I currently possess none. To my surprise, I noticed that Bright eyes has made a christmas album. Not a sarcastic one, but one that actually sounds like this is what he's been dying to do for years, and now finally managed to gather the courage to do it, loving every second of it.
Less surprising, I also found a series of christmas recordings by Sufjan Stevens, one for each year from 2002 and onwards. That man really likes themes. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I think it's great that someone has the patience to be consistent and keep doing what they initially promised themselves to do. I would say that Sufjan is the king of consistency.
Well, anyway, Sufjan Stevens was born to sing christmas carols; it doesn't sound forced or mal placé like with most musicians who try to do the same. So I ditched all the other christmas music I'd downloaded and burned only Sufjan's. Because that is all I need to get me through christmas. That and three litres of South African Shiraz.