The thirty minute Christmas special was co-written and directed by Gary Trousdale and produced by DreamWorks Animation and 20th Century Studios.

Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and Antonio Banderas reprise their roles from the feature films.

David Ian Salter and Mark Baldo directed the special during the pre production,[2] but they were later replaced by Gary Trousdale.

The film was produced by Teresa Cheng, Gina Shay and Aron Warner and was written by Bill Riling, Theresa Cullen, Gary Trousdale and Sean Bishop.

[3][4] ABC held the exclusive domestic rights to the special until it moved to NBC in 2023; it first aired on that network on November 30 that year.

The special was released on iTunes on November 2, 2008, and on Blu-ray and DVD on October 30, 2012, as part of compilation titled Dreamworks Holiday Classics.

[12][13] The special was re-released on DVD on October 1, 2013, along with Merry Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda Holiday, Dragons: Gift of the Night Fury, and The Croods.

HarperFestival also published a picture book version of Shrek the Halls, authored by Catherine Hapka and illustrated by Michael Koelsch.

The special, like the films, also features the following Pop culture and Christmas songs:[17] In July 2011, as part of a strategic partnership between DreamWorks Animation and Gaylord Hotels, Shrek the Halls was presented as the theme of the ICE!