Meaning of All I Want for Christmas Is You & The Story Behind

Eleventh place in the list of the most commercially successful singles of all time, more than sixty million dollars in royalties, dozens of top lines in the charts around the world – these are the achievements of the famous song All I Want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey.

Thanks to this composition, the American singer Mariah Carey is called the “Queen of Christmas” and the “Queen of Christmas Music” (Make My Wish Come True Edition).

The story behind of the song All I Want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey

Mariah wrote it with Walter Afanasieff, an experienced songwriter who has collaborated with Whitney Houston, Celene Dion and other stars.

Walter recalled that the process took them no more than fifteen minutes:

We have always followed the same method. We wrote the core of the song, the main musical melody, and then when we finished writing, some words appeared. I started playing rock ‘n’ roll on the piano and began playing boogie woogie with my left hand. This inspired Mariah to compose the melodic line. I don’t want a lot for Christmas. And then we started to sing and beat this rock and roll boogie song that became the basis of what would eventually become All I Want for Christmas Is You.
She showed up very quickly. It was easier to write than some of the other songs. It is very formulaic, without frequent chord changes. I tried to make it more authentic by adding some special chords that you rarely hear, which made it unique and special.
Then a week or two later, Mariah called and asked, “What do you think of this passage?” We talked little by little as she worked on the words to fit together. And then we just waited for the sessions to start, which happened in the summer of 1994 when we got together in New York and started recording. That’s when we first heard her sing it into the microphone, and the rest is history.

Billboard

Here is how Walter Afanasieff described the lyrics to All I Want for Christmas Is You:

She wrote the lyrics, which to this day remains perhaps the only up-tempo Christmas love song. I think people liked this positive love song because it’s equal: anyone can sing it to anyone. It is about everyone, and it can mean only one thing, the father sings to her child, the mother to her child, or the wife to her husband. It’s simple: “For Christmas, all I want is you.”

A few more quotes from Mariah’s interview, in which the singer talked about the composition:

When I wrote All I Want for Christmas Is You, I dreamed that it would become a classic Christmas song.

Billboard, 2015

This is a real retro, something in the spirit of the sixties.

1994

I just wrote it out of love for Christmas and real love for Christmas music.

Billboard, 2015

The song was recorded in August 1994. They say Mariah decorated the studio with New Year’s toys and garlands to create a festive mood.

Release and achievements

On November 1, 1994, Columbia Records released All I Want for Christmas Is You as the first single from Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas album.

Upon release, the track peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary and number twelfth on the Hot 100 Airplay. It didn’t hit the Billboard Hot 100 then. The song peaked at number five on the UK Singles Chart.

In subsequent years, the composition appeared dozens of times in the top ten of the charts in different countries, repeatedly leading the charts.

Andrea Dresdale of ABC News Radio explained the song’s success:

This is a Christmas song, but without religious content. Actually, it’s just a love song. Everyone understands what it means to desire, crave, love or miss someone. This is an upbeat song. A lot of Christmas songs are not like that. Many of them are ballads, some are depressing, but this one sounds like a party.

Vogue, 2015

Rolling Stone, The Daily Telegraph and other popular publications have included All I Want for Christmas Is You in the ratings of the best Christmas songs.

Video of All I Want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey

There are three music videos for the song. The first video is designed in the style of home video shot on 8mm film. The singer herself acted as the operator and director.

The black and white video for All I Want for Christmas Is You was inspired by The Ronettes. It was also filmed by Carey herself.

In 2015, Mariah presented an animated video for a remix of the song.

At the end of 2019, Mariah Carey released a new video for All I Want for Christmas Is You. Song by Justin Bieber and Mariah Carey.

Interesting Facts

In the first video, producer Tommy Mottola, Mariah’s husband, dressed up as Santa Claus.
In 2015, Carey published a children’s book called All I Want for Christmas Is You, which sold millions of copies.
In 2017, Mariah Carey presented All I Want for Christmas Is You, an animated family film based on the song and book.

All I Want for Christmas Is You Lyrics by Mariah Carey

I don’t want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don’t care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true oh
All I want for Christmas is you

I don’t want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need, and I
Don’t care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I don’t need to hang my stocking
There upon the fireplace
Santa Claus won’t make me happy
With a toy on Christmas day
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you

I won’t ask for much this Christmas
I won’t even wish for snow, and I
I just wanna keep on waiting
Underneath the mistletoe
I won’t make a list and send it
To the North Field for Saint Nick
I won’t even stay awake
To hear those magic reindeer click
‘Cause I just want you here tonight
Holding on to me so tight
What more can I do
Baby all I want for Christmas is you

All the lights are shining
So brightly everywhere
And the sound of children’s
Laughter fills the air
And everyone is singing
I hear those sleigh bells ringing
Santa won’t you bring me
The one I really need
Won’t you please bring my baby to me quickly

I don’t want a lot for Christmas
This is all I’m asking for
I just wanna see my baby
Standing right outside my door
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
Baby all I want for Christmas is you

Lyrics All I Want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey Alternate

I don’t want much for Christmas
I only need one
I’m not interested in gifts
Under the Christmas tree
I just want you to be mine
Stronger than you can imagine
May my wish come true
For Christmas I only want you

I don’t want much for Christmas
I only need one and
I’m not interested in gifts
Under the Christmas tree
I don’t want to hang up my sock
Above the fireplace
Won’t make me happy
Toy from Santa Claus for Christmas
I just want you to be mine
Stronger than you can imagine
May my wish come true
For Christmas I only want you

I won’t ask for much this Christmas
I won’t even wish for snow and I,
I just want to keep waiting
under the mistletoe
I won’t make a list and post it
To the North Pole Saint Nicholas
I won’t even stay up at night
To hear the magical clatter of deer hooves
‘Cause I just want you to be here now
And hugged me tight
What else can I do
Oh baby, for Christmas all I want is you

Everywhere is so bright
lights are shining,
And the sound of children’s laughter
fills the air
Everyone sings
I hear sleigh bells ringing
Santa, would you like to bring me
The one that I need
Please bring my baby quickly

I don’t need much for Christmas
That’s all I ask
I just want to see my baby
Standing right outside the door
I just want you to be mine
Stronger than you can imagine
May my wish come true
For Christmas I only want you