I turn on my car radio during my drive to school and it instantly engulfs my little Toyota Camri. I hear it blaring as I walk down every aisle in stores while I shop for presents. I scroll through my TikTok feed and am bombarded with never-ending videos of people using the song to festively decorate their homes. I cannot escape it. I am, of course, referring to one of the top Christmas songs year after year, “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey.

Do not get me wrong, I absolutely love listening to Christmas songs to get me in the holiday spirit. I adore everything about Christmas: hot chocolate, winter break and snow on the ground. However, I should not be lying awake at night, hearing the refrain on repeat in my head as I picture Carey in her iconic Santa outfit. 

The song gets too much credit for being nothing more than an average Christmas song. For example, when I went to search for the song, I was greeted with digital snowflakes falling down my screen on the page of results. It was cute the first time but after having to look up the lyrics and unfortunately, rewatch the music video, it became old incredibly fast. Ironically, this redundancy seems to coincide perfectly with the song itself.    

Perhaps I would be able to enjoy the song more if it was not so overplayed. There are only so many times a person can stand listening to a song about wanting nothing for Christmas besides a special someone to love them. It is the type of song I would expect to hear during any holiday Hallmark movie (but do not get me started on how all of those movies are bad and have the same plot line). 

I will admit, the song does have a couple of redeeming qualities that make it at least bearable to listen to but only a couple of times a year. As I have previously mentioned, it is rather catchy as I find myself humming the lyrics writing this story. Its upbeat, cheery instrumentals along with Carey’s powerful vocals make it clear why the song is adored by many. Nevertheless, there are numerous Christmas songs that I would much rather hear during the holiday season.

I believe that we should go back to the classics. You simply cannot beat songs like “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” by Bing Crosby and “Winter Wonderland” by Felix Bernard and Richard Bernhard Smith. These songs are the embodiment of waking up to presents under the tree on Christmas morning, sledding with friends on a snow day and other magical childhood memories.  

However, if you must listen to a song about a Christmas crush, I would suggest “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” by Dean Martin. It has all of the charm about the desire to be with someone you love without having to worry about Carey making millions of dollars of profit every year from the song alone.   

Saying that “All I Want for Christmas is You” is overplayed is a preposterous claim only made by people who are mad at society and even madder at themselves. What made you so furious in life that you can’t respect the beauty of Mariah Carey?

“All I Want for Christmas is You” is a heart-wrenching song that makes your soul as well as your mouth sing with joy. The lyrics beam out referencing a love so pure yet so urgent. In a world where you can get phones, puppies, cars and even a hippopotamus, all she wants for Christmas is the man whom she loves. 

Give Mariah a break. It’s not her fault millions of people play her song half a billion times. It is always on the top of my playlists and the top of any Christmas playlist on Spotify for good reason. As soon as the song comes on, no matter if you are in the car, decorating your Christmas tree or in the middle of the grocery store, you drop everything and start singing. It possesses you and has a grasp on this generation like no other holiday song. 

I am all for diversifying your playlist this holiday season and adding songs that speak to you. Christmas is about more than just the presents and the food. It’s about being with the people you love and creating happy memories which this song beautifully encapsulates.

I can recollect moments when “All I Want for Christmas is You” is ringing throughout my house. I am with family and friends, laughing and singing along. This special song doesn’t just hold Christmas tunes it holds Christmas spirit and some of my fondest childhood memories. 

For years Mariah Carey has been marketed as the face of Christmas singing loud for all to hear. TikTok videos with her popular voice exclaiming, “It’s tiiiiimmmmmeee,” truly starts off the season as everyone begins to decorate their homes. She is 54 and continuously making herself relevant which you have to applaud. 

In recognition of these stone-cold truths, Mariah Carey’s Christmas sensation that is “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” is the glue that holds this fragile human race together during the holidays. It gives everyone a reason to bond, because of the widely known lyrics, making everyone more than willing to sing along.