Mariah Carey is an American pop singer, record producer and songwriter well-known for her impressive vocal range and singing style. In the 1990s, she was considered one of the most successful female musical artists at the time and has since remained popular. She has won a total of 5 Grammys and received many other awards and nominations.
Carey is perhaps most well known for her Christmas song “All I Want For Christmas Is You” which is about how even though there are many special parts of Christmas that are the presents, the food and holiday parties, she only has her heart set on one person. Now why exactly is this particular song so popular?
Since this song first came out in 1994, it has skyrocketed on the billboard charts, selling 16 million copies worldwide. Though this is one of the main reasons for her continuous success, she has many other sought after songs such as “Fantasy”, “We Belong Together” and “Obsessed”. The best part of her Christmas song is that it captures the spirit of the holiday as it creates this familiar and comforting feeling.
Now, what makes November 1st so special? November 1st became the date of Mariah Carey’s annual tradition: posting a video on social media marking the commencement of the holiday season.
Many people begin listening to her Christmas song “All I Want For Christmas Is You” in November or December, as the song reflects the positivity and love that abounds during the holidays. While there are many different opinions on when exactly is the appropriate time to begin celebrating the Christmas season, many believe that November 1st is the turning point when Christmas music is acceptable to listen to.
GBS Freshman Emily Bertini says, “I don’t think there’s music for Thanksgiving… and after October you should not listen to Halloween music anymore… so I feel that I will start listening to it in November.”
GBS Freshman Dea Gjata believes, “It’s fine to listen to her towards the end of November because in the beginning we’re still coming back from Halloween and there’s still fall vibes going around. And also I feel like we shouldn’t exclude Thanksgiving because it’s still a holiday.”
Erin Doyle, an English teacher here at Glenbard South says, “I don’t mind when other people start listening in November… I’m a late Christmas person… and sometimes we wait to put up the tree until the 20th.”
No matter what time of the year people put up their holiday decorations or listen to Carey’s music it is an appropriate time. Not only is it a catchy and uplifting song, but it has this nostalgic quality that is undeniably full of emotion. Kids and teens in the 1990s began implementing this song in the holidays and it became a staple during the winter months. This song brings back those happy memories during the winter season that they felt as a child. The song is still popular today partly because many parents and family members share it with their children, giving this present generation a special appreciation for Carey’s music and shaping many people’s ideas of what Christmas is.
