Produced by Kuk Harrell, Aaron Pearce, C. "Tricky" Stewart and The-Dream, this was her first album released by Primary Wave and features cover versions of various Christmas standards in addition to original material.

Simpson and PBS thought it would be a good idea to release an album along with a holiday special.

[1] She also appeared on The Early Show, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Live with Regis and Kelly, Access Hollywood and performed at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting.

[2] Tricky Stewart told US Weekly about working with Simpson on the album: "I was so pleasantly surprised and happy with how everything came out!

The song received mixed reviews by music critics and was compared to "All I Want for Christmas Is You" (1994) by Mariah Carey.

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic stated, "compared to 2004's brassy Rejoyce: The Christmas Album, Happy Christmas exists on a small stage: Simpson doesn't belt songs out, doesn't seem intent on wowing an audience with her pizzazz.

[sic] [...]She may be intent on being all things to all people, but her eagerness to please suits the season and helps make Happy Christmas a better holiday soundtrack than Rejoyce.

Ms. Simpson, who began her career several lifetimes ago as a Christian singer, hasn't sounded as focused in years as she does on the feverishly pleasing "Happy Christmas," which is produced largely by Mr. Stewart and The-Dream, the synth-bliss R&B tastemakers, employing full restraint here.

The bland bigness of holiday music suits Ms. Simpson's overpowering voice well, but even when she's testing it, she sounds sharp, whether on the multitracked delirium of "Carol of the Bells" or on an electric-blues version of "Merry Christmas Baby," where she energetically over-emotes against a more laconic holiday messenger, Willie Nelson"[6] The album debuted at number 123 on US Billboard 200, becoming Simpson's lowest peak in the United States.