Caillat told Billboard her holiday album was dedicated for those whose Christmases aren't the traditional kind of Christmas, "I was like, 'Not everyone lives in the snow or cold places for Christmas, so why don't we write some songs for them to be able to relate to what their Christmas is like'". Fittingly, Caillat recorded "Christmas in the Sand" "in my bathing suit in the sunshine in southern California in the summertime...between takes of going swimming with my mom and our dogs." The album, she says had been broached by her label in the past, but with six months off at the beginning of this year she felt like it was "a perfect time to put my focus and attention on it and decide how many songs I wanted, which songs and to write songs for it." A lot of the songs I wrote for it are about how not every holiday I spent has been only in the snow," Caillat explains. "It's also been in the sun and at the beach and a different kind of lifestyle not everyone has. I wanted to tap into that. It's fun to write a Christmas song from that perspective." The album, produced by her father Ken, includes five originals and 10 holiday standards, as well as guest appearances by Brad Paisley on a rocking "Merry Christmas Baby" and Gavin DeGraw, who ad libs his way through what Caillat calls a "hilarious" version of "Baby, It's Cold Outside". Vocals recorded on Tour at Playback Recording Studio." he wrote the love song "Everyday is Christmas" with Jason Reeves and Kara DioGuardi, while "Mistletoe", composed with Stacy Blue and Mikal Blue, was released a stand-alone single in 2007. And "Happy Christmas," a co-write with Toby Gad, recalls traditional, snowy Christmases at Caillat's grandparents' home in Lake Tahoe. "I've experienced that typical kind of Christmas as well, so I wanted to write a little bit of both sides," Caillat says.
Critical reception
Linny's Vault described Colbie's performance in this album "her voice reminds me of fellow singer songwriter Sara Bareilles so if you're a fan of hers you'll definitely be pleased with this album". Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Starpulse described the whole album as 'lively, cheerful, and bright, the sound of the season for climates where there's nary a cloud in the sky' and also said 'she actually rocks a little bit harder here than usual, letting her duet partner Brad Paisley goose "Merry Christmas Baby" with his gnarly Telecaster and giving "Winter Wonderland" an insistent electronic pulse, elements that make Christmas in the Sand a little livelier than either of her full-length platters, but the casual brilliance of this unassuming but thoroughly entertaining holiday album is that it has a genuine personality', and gave the album 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Promotion
To promote the album, Caillat scheduled a week of holiday shows at the end of November and beginning of December, plus a series of TV appearances. She was a part of the CMA Country Christmas special along with another artists.
