[1] It was released, in Australia, for Christmas in 2001 and appeared in international markets by September 2001.

[2] The songs on Christmas are renditions of popular Christmas carols and several of Hillsong Music's own songs led by Darlene Zschech & the Hillsong Team.

In September 2001 Mike Rimmer of Cross Rhythms rated the album as 8 out of 10 and described it as "their releases are always top quality ... with just less than 50% traditional carols.

[2] BREATHEcast's Timothy Yap reviewed the disc in November 2013 after it was issued as part of a two-disc compilation, It's Christmas, and found the earlier material on Christmas to be superior as it has a "more cohesive feel as Darlene Zschech is featured on most of the tracks here" than the material on Celebrating Christmas (2005).

[3] In November 2001 CCM Magazine rated it as 7 out of 10 and felt "they come up with some wonderful new praise and worship songs, and breath new life into older ones".