It has become a holiday meme, an earworm, and the bane of retail workers from the time Christmas merch goes on shelves to the last of the after-Christmas sales. And it was recently embroiled in controversy, thanks to a Sephora commercial that mocks the stress on consumers and workers during a difficult year.
So, let’s talk about “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” The song itself, as they say, “is not that deep.” But in these times, it has a lot to say.
Underneath the excessively jubilant melody and bouncy rhythm, the song has a simple message: being with the one you love means more than all the material goods one can ask for. Mariah sings, “Santa Claus won’t make me happy.” But just being with her beloved doesn’t make her happiness complete, as she sings in the bridge:
Oh, all the lights are shining
So brightly everywhere (So brightly, baby)
And the sound of children’s
Laughter fills the air (Oh, oh yeah)
And everyone is singing (Oh yeah)
I hear those sleigh bells ringing (Oh)
Santa, won’t you bring me the one I really need? (Yeah, oh, oh)
Won’t you please bring my baby to me?
We can’t truly feel happiness until we share it with others. That’s why we want to spend time with family, friends, and others we care about. The cumulative joy offers us a lasting contentment no material gift can provide.
This theme is shared by every great Christmas story, including How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, A Christmas Carol, It’s a Wonderful Life, and “The Gift of the Magi.” Mariah Carey is in august company.
It’s also a message we are in desperate need of this year.
Objectively, it’s hard to find the merry this Christmas. Rising prices means people can’t afford to buy gifts. We face a shaky economy, a war looming in Venezuela, political and social division, and uncertainty about the future. At times like these, we need each other the most. The love we share can uplift and sustain us, especially when rage and cruelty have become the norm. And as the song tells us, being with the ones we love offers much more than fancy presents, especially when they’re harder to come by.
The message of “All I Want for Christmas is You” is the opposite of the Sephora ad. People don’t exist to be used and turned into snowmen when they dare to object to mistreatment. The holiday season calls on us to be generous and caring, to share our abundance with those less fortunate, and to show something that’s in short supply these days: empathy.
The next time you hear “All I Want for Christmas is You” (and you won’t have to wait long), give it a closer listen. You’ll find that amid the enthusiastic melodies and rhythms is the source of its joy—the desire for togetherness and love.
