All Dylan's royalties from the sale of this album benefit the charities Feeding America in the USA, Crisis in the UK, and the World Food Programme in perpetuity.

[2] Dylan said that, although he was born and raised Jewish (he converted to Christianity in the late 1970s), he never felt left out of Christmas during his childhood in Minnesota.

[4] In addition to Dylan's Never Ending Tour band, the sessions featured contributions from other musicians including Los Lobos' David Hidalgo, Chess Records veteran Phil Upchurch, and a choir that included Amanda Barrett and Abby DeWald (better known as folk music duo The Ditty Bops).

[6]Nash Edgerton directed an official music video for the song "Must Be Santa" that was released on November 16, 2009 and described as "bonkers" by Rolling Stone.

[7] The video depicts Dylan and some holiday revelers lip synching the song at a raucous Christmas house party.

[10] "Must Be Santa" was also released as a music video ecard[11] and a 7" single, the B-side of which is a recording of Dylan reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas that was first broadcast on Theme Time Radio Hour.

Directed by artist/filmmaker Jeff Scher, the video features images from classic films (actress Jane Greer appears at the 2:10 mark) and home movies that have been rotoscoped with water colors and crayons to tell a modern version of the story of the Nativity of Jesus in the song's lyrics.

The inner sleeves feature a black-and-white photo by Leonard Freed of four musicians wearing Santa Claus suits as well as a drawing by Olivia De Berardinis of pinup Bettie Page dressed as Mrs.

[28] While the unexpected move by Dylan to record a Christmas album was received with skepticism at first, the outcome of the project was lauded by critics for bringing a fresh breath of air into these classics.

[29] Slant Magazine's critic Jesse Cataldo awarded the album 4 stars out of 5 and said: This enjoyable sense of exploration, which prizes levity in a genre that usually amounts to an artistic wasteland, is invaluable.

[31]The critic for Tiny Mix Tapes rated the album 4 stars out of 5, writing: On Christmas in the Heart... it's not the heat, but the bitter cold, the kind you feel in northern Minnesnowta[sic].

These songs are Dylan's latest exploits, but they're deathly sincere (and jolly), as serious and kitschy as Theme Time Radio Hour.

Girl Band's Dara Kiely selected "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" from Christmas in the Heart, noting, "It is earnest yet fun, serious yet joyful.

[36] Singer/songwriter Elliott Murphy cited Dylan's performance of "Here Comes Santa Claus" on this album as one of his top 10 songs of the 21st century in an article for Poetic Justice Magazine.

Dylan said: "That the problem of hunger is ultimately solvable means we must each do what we can to help feed those who are suffering and support efforts to find long-term solutions.