This is a fantastic was to spend the holidays. It takes the traditional Christmas hymns and adds an acoustic twist that is different yet enjoyable.

Our family has enjoyed this collection for several years. The blend of traditional and novel will please and invite listeners at varied points in the faith journey. "Emmanuel" captures the deep holiness of His birth, "Go Tell It..." breaks loose with the earthy joy of the shepherds, and "Born to Bleed" and "Mary's Prayer" offer a fresh reverence to hearers willing to stand quietly at the manger. Here is a Christmas message that, if allowed, will pervade the entire year.

Can't believe I'm the first person to give a review for this album - being seasonal, in the Top10 etc. Anyway.....this is pretty neat stuff. Thankfully it's not just another traditional 'Christmas' album, but more of a genuine worship offering - really inspiring, and very acoustic. One or two tunes I found a bit cheesy - eg 'Little Drummer Boy' - but some songs are just beautiful - and most are really fine. 'Joy to the world', 'O holy night' and Bebo Norman's 'Born to bleed' are especially effective. Considering I'm not a big fan of Christmas (with all it's sentimentality and focus on a baby instead of the risen Christ), it's maybe surprising that I liked this so much. But, as the musicians themselves say, you can listen to this music any time of the year - who wants to wait til Christmas to celebrate Jesus!