The 10 track album includes originals as well as covers of Ray Charles’ “That Spirit of Christmas” and Bryan Adams’ “Christmas Time.” Collaborators on the album: Bebe Winans / Robert Randolph, Ingrid Michaelson, Brad Paisley, Forest Blakk, & Abby Anderson.

"It’s something I’ve always kind of wanted to do,” Thomas tells Rolling Stone. “But I didn’t think anybody needs to hear me sing ‘Jingle Bells.’ You know, nobody needs to hear anybody honestly sing ‘Jingle Bells’ again. But I think I managed to pick some really cool covers, so I think it’s got its own original sound.”

The album was recorded this summer at Thomas’ home studio north of New York City; Thomas leaned on yuletide decorations and nonstop movies on the Hallmark Channel while creating this album. “They have this thing called ‘Christmas in July,’ so in the studio I have this big-screen TV with no sound on and Christmas lights everywhere,” he says toRolling Stone. “My whole bubble of people would know what I was doing. Whenever I was talking to someone on the phone, before they got off they’d say, ‘Merry Christmas, Rob.’”