Sufjan Stevens - Only At Christmas Time

from vol . ii of songs for christmas , this is an original by sufjan
he finger picks this one , which i will give an example of ,
but you can just play the chords and it sounds very good

chords used : Am – ( x02210 )
G/Am – ( 320010 )
F – ( 133211 )
C – ( x32010 )
G – ( 320001 )
C/Am – ( x32210 )

the picking pattern sufjan uses goes like this :
Am G/Am
E | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
B | – – – – – – 1 – 1 – – – – – – 1 – 1 – – – – – – 1 – – – – – 1 – 1 – – – – 1 – 1 – – – – 1 – 1 – – – |
G | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
D | – – – – – – 2 – 2 – – – – – – 2 – 2 – – – – – – 2 – – – – – 0 – 0 – – – – 0 – 0 – – – – 0 – 0 – – – |
A | – – – 0 – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
E | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – – |

F G/Am
E | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
B | – – – – – – 1 – 1 – – – – – – 1 – 1 – – – – – – 1 – – – – – 1 – 1 – – – – 1 – 1 – – – – 1 – 1 – – – |
G | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
D | – – – – – – 3 – 3 – – – – – – 3 – 3 – – – – – – 3 – – – – – 0 – 0 – – – – 0 – 0 – – – – 0 – 0 – – – |
A | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
E | – – – 1 – – – – – – – – 1 – – – – – – – – 1 – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – – |

this carries through the whole song , just change the chord shapes during the chorus – –
also i find it easiest to just keep you index finger on the B
string on the first fret throughout the verses , even during the F chord
during that F , just use your thumb for the bass note on the low E string

no capo – – standard tuning

Am G/Am F
only to bring you peace ,
G/Am Am
only at christmas time ,
G/Am F
only the king of kings ,
G/Am Am
only what once was mine ,
G/Am F
it takes the end of time ,
G/Am Am
it takes a long , long time ,
G/Am F
only one thought of mine ,
G/Am C
only at christmas time .

C G/Am ( or possibly just G , not sure )
he brings us peace ,
F
he brings us joy ,
G/Am Am ( or maybe C/Am , you decide )
he brings all thoughts to destroy ,
G/Am C
only at christmas time ,
C G/Am
to bring us peace ,
F
to bring us joy ,
G/Am Am
to bring all thoughts to destroy ,
G/Am Am
only at christmas time .

Am G/Am F
only at christmas time ,
G/Am Am
only a dream to cry ,
G/Am F
only at christmas time ,
G/Am Am
if you can read the sign ,
G/Am F
only at christmas time ,
G/Am Am
everything lost will be found ,
G/Am F
only at christmas time ,
G/Am C
only at christmas time

thats it – – rate it and leave any comments or corrections – – thanks