Mariah Carey Ushers in the Holidays With Addams Family-Themed Video

Mariah Carey Ushers in the Holidays With Addams Family-Themed Video

As a music enthusiast and a lover of all things Christmas, I find myself utterly captivated by the extraordinary journey of Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Having grown up with the traditional holiday tunes like Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” and Eartha Kitt’s “Santa Baby,” it’s truly fascinating to witness a contemporary Christmas song not only stand the test of time but become an indispensable part of the festive season.


Mariah Carey is shaking off spooky season.

This year, the Grammy-winning artist kicked off the festive season by traditionally announcing on her social media platforms that it was time to start celebrating at midnight on November 1. Interestingly, she added a touch of whimsy to this announcement by incorporating elements from “The Addams Family.

In a monochrome advertisement for Kay Jewelers, Mariah can be seen donning the role of Morticia Addams, the iconic character, while she gracefully dances with a man portraying her husband, Gomez Addams, from the timeless film.

Following a couple of playful instances, Mariah steps back, hurls a dagger at him, and gazes towards an opening wardrobe, unveiling her iconic red Christmas outfit just as the clock chimes midnight.

Afterward, the screen splinters with vibrant hues when Mariah exclaims “now it’s time!” As the iconic opening notes of her smash holiday anthem, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” begin to play, Gomez transforms into a snowman right before our eyes.

Mariah Carey’s announcement doesn’t merely herald the arrival of the holiday season or suggest we should start playing her 1994 album “Merry Christmas”; it also implies she is preparing to travel. The renowned “Heartbreaker” singer is set to embark on a 21-date tour, with the tour commencing in Highland, California, on November 6th.

Over a period of around five years, a woman aged 55 started sharing intricate videos titled “it’s time.” Recently, she mentioned that these disclosures developed naturally on their own.

Initially, Mariah mentioned in an interview with The New York Times on November 1st, it didn’t feel like a formal announcement. Instead, people were inquiring about when it was appropriate to decorate their homes for Christmas and how the process worked. Given her festive demeanor, they assumed she had specific insights into the matter.

Sooner or later, a catchphrase was born.

“I love ‘it’s time,'” she added. “It’s so fun.”

Apart from the yearly announcement, Mariah hinted at its arrival by sharing a few playful videos suggesting it wasn’t quite time just yet.

On her Instagram, the singer posted a video showing her boarding a private plane, supposedly bound for the North Pole. In the clip, the pilot announces their destination as the beginning of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” starts playing. However, Mariah quips, “Not yet! They’re always in a hurry.

In another video posted on October 30th, Mariah begins singing a song only to be stopped by Kerry Washington, who says, “Your time for that hasn’t come yet, Mariah; it’s the time for voting instead!

She responds to the Scandal actress by saying, “Indeed, I have registered, and indeed, I carried out my planned actions.

Mariah Carey Ushers in the Holidays With Addams Family-Themed Video

Over a period of around five years, the woman aged 55 started sharing intricate videos titled “it’s time,” and she mentioned that these disclosures developed naturally on their own.

Initially, Mariah mentioned in an interview with The New York Times on November 1st that the idea didn’t feel like an official announcement at first. Instead, people would inquire about when it was appropriate to decorate their homes for Christmas and when she should put up her own tree. Since they perceived her as particularly festive, they often asked her these questions.

Sooner or later, a catchphrase was born.

“I love ‘it’s time,'” she added. “It’s so fun.”

Mariah Carey Ushers in the Holidays With Addams Family-Themed Video

Each year since November 1st, the actress from “Glitter” advises others to embrace the holiday mood. However, she personally waits until quite near Christmas before she starts decorating.

She pointed out that the tour’s elaborate decorations on stage really help set the festive mood, and she doesn’t start decking the halls until her family – which consists of 13-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe, whose father is Nick Cannon – makes their annual trip to Aspen, Colorado for the holiday celebration each year.

Mariah expressed, “I eagerly anticipate this every year, and it’s not just for show – it’s genuinely my preferred season.

Keep reading for more about Mariah’s signature holiday hit, “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”

Mariah Carey Ushers in the Holidays With Addams Family-Themed Video

Mariah Carey’s 1994 album, titled “Merry Christmas“, primarily consists of covers such as “Silent Night” and “Joy to the World”. However, it also features three unique compositions: “All I Want for Christmas Is You”, “Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)” and “Jesus Born on This Day”.

Meanwhile, the fact that we consider that first one commonplace today doesn’t diminish the challenge Walter Afanasieff, Carey’s cowriter on those three songs, highlighted: it requires substantial evergreens like holly to attempt crafting fresh tunes for Christmas.

In a 2014 interview with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, he clarified that when creating an original Christmas song, one needs to be cautious about avoiding common pitfalls. Writing a song that blindly follows the traditional jingle, mistletoe, frost, Rudolph, and Santa themes can lead to a disorganized result.

In his words, Carey demonstrated a remarkable talent by creating a fast-paced, uplifting love ballad that can be dedicated to anyone.

Finally, the third attempt proved successful, as “All I Want for Christmas Is You” became the final track written for the album that we had been diligently crafting since 1993.

Mariah Carey Ushers in the Holidays With Addams Family-Themed Video

Speaking about their creative process, Afanasieff revealed that he often initiates the music by playing some tunes. Then, Mimi takes over, shaping a melody and its progression, as he explained to ASCAP. They engage in a lively exchange of musical ideas, like a game of ping-pong with melodies.

Whenever Carey altered the tune to explore new paths, he found himself matching along, as he explained. “It was a significant musical endeavor on ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You,'” he added. “The arrangement is quite straightforward.

In fact, he added, “At the time I thought it was overly simple and I didn’t really like it.”

From my perspective as a lifestyle expert, in a 2014 interview with Billboard, Drew Afanasieff shared his creative approach to Carey’s timeless hit. He explained, “I aimed to infuse a touch of originality by incorporating some uncommon chord progressions, which I believe added a unique and captivating essence to the song.” In my opinion, this distinctive element was one of the key factors that kept the song fresh year after year. The creation of this particular aspect required approximately an hour, after which I stepped away to let it simmer.

Mariah Carey Ushers in the Holidays With Addams Family-Themed Video

In the summer of 1994, the recording studio was certainly bustling as the band started to record the track. The xylophone chimed first, followed by Carey’s smooth and sultry melody. After that, the drums and piano joined in, creating a rhythm that took everyone on a journey to a winter wonderland with the sound of sleigh bells ringing.

Afanasieff explained to ASCAP that the whole song was essentially him working at the computer, and the only genuine elements on it were the vocals.

Mariah Carey Ushers in the Holidays With Addams Family-Themed Video

Upon the release of her album, Carey – who proudly dubs herself as the “biggest Christmas enthusiast out there” – stated that she wasn’t aiming to rival the classic holiday songwriters of yesteryears.

In her interview with CBS News back in 1994, she expressed that composing Christmas songs was like making a small yet meaningful offering to the world. She hoped that her fans would appreciate these tunes and that they could serve as her holiday repertoire.

Mariah Carey Ushers in the Holidays With Addams Family-Themed Video

Carey shares a unique story about the origin of “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which typically doesn’t include anyone else being present during its creation.

In 2019, she shared with Cosmopolitan that she settled down, adorned a tiny Christmas tree, popped in “It’s a Wonderful Life”, and endeavored to embrace the atmosphere. Afterward, in a compact room equipped with a keyboard, she began creating simple melodies.

That very year, Mariah Carey recounted in the Amazon Music documentary Mariah Carey’s Christmas: The Story Behind “All I Want for Christmas Is You, she remembered collaborating with “Walter A.” on producing the track.

Speaking as a devoted admirer, in an interview with Nightline in 2023, Carrie herself revealed the myth that it took merely 15 minutes to create the song wasn’t far from the truth. She described the songwriting experience as surprisingly swift. “I was engrossed in crafting it alone,” she continued, “so I hummed the opening melody, jotting down lyrics on this compact Casio keyboard.

Although Afanasieff has relished the benefits that come with being acknowledged as a co-writer and producer of the song, “I hold half the rights to it,” he stated in an interview with Variety in 2019, there are moments when he feels like Santa Claus left him a chunk of coal instead of a present.

He remarked, “It was her who turned the song into a success, and she’s truly amazing. However, it seems she’s not in the habit of giving credit when it’s warranted.

Mariah Carey Ushers in the Holidays With Addams Family-Themed Video

Although it gained popularity long ago, it wasn’t until 2019 that “All I Want for Christmas Is You” reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

But, it has reached the mountaintop every year since.

In simpler terms, Carey said to the Los Angeles Times before her November 6th annual Christmas tour (since 2014, excluding 2020), “I can’t just sit here and think, ‘This needs to happen.’ However, considering how often it has happened in the past, I’m overjoyed. If it happens again, I would be even more delighted.

Mariah Carey Ushers in the Holidays With Addams Family-Themed Video

2024 remains uncertain, but Carey has undeniably grown accustomed to setting new benchmarks on Christmas Eve for sure.

Every year, I’m thrilled to see how my favorite holiday tune, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” continues to break records on Spotify! It first claimed the title of most streamed song on Christmas Day in 2017 with an impressive 10.8 million plays, and it outdid that total the following year with a slight increase to 10.82 million. But what truly astounds me is how it topped itself yet again in 2019, garnering over 12 million streams – now that’s something to celebrate!

On Dec. 24, 2022, it bested Adele‘s “Go Easy on Me” for most streams on any day, with 21,273,357.

As we approach the festive season once again, I find myself reflecting on the extraordinary impact of Mariah Carey’s iconic holiday tune, “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Last year, this timeless melody shattered records by amassing an astounding 23.7 million streams in a single day. Moreover, it cemented its status as the most streamed Christmas song of all time with over 1.5 billion plays to date. It’s a testament to the enduring charm and magic that this song brings to our holiday celebrations year after year.

Mariah Carey Ushers in the Holidays With Addams Family-Themed Video

It’s understandable if at first glance you mistook the song the remarkably gifted love interest of Thomas Brodie-Sangster in the 2002 film, “Love Actually,” sang near the end as a unique composition created especially for the movie.

Due to how Olivia Olson’s rendition of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” significantly impacted history, or reshaped destiny, it was almost inevitable that countless cinema-goers felt an urge to find the original version.

In 2014, Afanasieff shared with Billboard that it’s worth noting another unique aspect about Mariah Carey: she hardly ever permits anyone to record her songs for use in films, TV shows, or other media.

Over the years, she had declined numerous invitations to record her famous Christmas tune for others. However, she made a special exception when it came to the movie, Love Actually.

According to Afanasieff, it seemed like she held a special affection for that particular film. She appreciated both the storyline and the cast. I believe she felt, “This is a film about a young girl, and now is the perfect moment to enjoy it.

Mariah Carey Ushers in the Holidays With Addams Family-Themed Video

In this world inspired by “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” there exists a children’s book and an animated movie bearing the same title. As per ABC News, Mariah Carey has reportedly earned around $72 million from the song up until December 2023.

Mariah Carey Ushers in the Holidays With Addams Family-Themed Video

Before Carey’s tune registered, it had been a minute since a Christmas song was also a massive hit.

If you consider “Last Christmas” by Wham! as a traditional holiday tune, we’re referring to the year 1984. If you prefer a cheerier holiday vibe, the song “Feliz Navidad” by Jose Feliciano was first released in 1970.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono left a significant cultural imprint through their 1971 release titled “Happy Xmas (The War Is Over),” but this song didn’t initially achieve great success in the U.S. In fact, it carries a melancholic tone rather than the traditional joy of Christmas, with Mariah Carey herself describing it as “quite sad.

Since Brenda Lee’s 1958 hit “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (penned by Johnny Marks), there hasn’t been another cheerful tune added to the collection that was as successful and hasn’t been equaled in terms of charm since then. It’s safe to say that Mariah Carey’s magic has not been matched yet.

As a lifestyle expert, I’d put it this way: Reflecting on their hit single, I told Billboard that “comparing it to a celestial event happening once every 5 billion years,” the song simply stands out as an extraordinary Christmas classic. In the last two decades, countless original holiday tunes have been penned, but somehow, ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ has transcended the ordinary and become that timeless, unforgettable carol.

Furthermore, he stated that it was the final significant carol to be included in the traditional Christmas songbook, marking its end. Essentially, it came to a close thereafter.

In her explanation as to why she believes the song has persisted for three decades, Carey said to Nightline in 2023, “I think it’s because I genuinely adore the holiday season,” expressing that it’s not feigned affection.

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2024-11-01 16:28