It’s timeeeeee! (said in Mariah Carey’s perfectly pitched high note) The Christmas season is in full swing, but if you’re Mariah Carey, she’s been ready and defrosting since Halloween ended and the clock struck Nov. 1.
As the indisputable “Queen of Christmas,” Carey has cemented herself as a pop culture icon and pillar of the most wonderful time of the year, and every year since, at that. Not only is she the number one most successful female songwriter in chart history, her classic “All I Want For Christmas Is You” holds the Guinness World Record for the highest-charting holiday song. 2024 marks the 30-year anniversary since its initial release, and the song is already back at No. 1 on Billboard’s Holiday 100.
While “Mariah Carey’s Christmas Time” tour is currently spreading holiday cheer in 20 select cities, New York City (Carey is a native Long Islander, fun fact) has been abuzz with events celebrating the star. In November, Madame Tussauds unveiled Carey’s wax figure as a part of its “Seasons of New York” exhibit. The uncanny wax figure is adorned in Carey’s ruby red look from her 2020 Apple TV+ Original holiday special, Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas.
“Oh my gosh, it’s surreal. I never would have believed how life-like my wax figure would be!” said Carey. “The whole room is a complete transformation into Christmastime and it feels like the perfect home for my wax figure!”
In an Instagram post posing with her twin, Carey captioned the photo with “Finally found someone to help me out with the toy delivery this year! Thank you Madame Tussauds New York.”
Barbie is also getting in on the Carey craze this season, rereleasing the Mariah Carey Barbie Doll, Holiday Celebration Collectible. With her iconic blonde curls, a glittery red gown, and a silver microphone, this doll is sure to be the perfect gift for any superfan.
If you’re looking to celebrate the season in style, through the rest of December, Mariah Carey’s Black Irish Holiday Bar in collaboration with Virgin Hotels, is open for guests in New York City and other locations across the country. This event is a total Christmas overload for the senses, with red and green tinsel from floor to ceiling, presents galore, and even an oversized stuffed leopard atop the bar.
Each ticket offers guests a 90-minute reservation time and an included Welcome Signature Black Irish Cocktail, which will leave you buzzing with holiday cheer. Pose at a neon red-light photo op with the Queen of Christmas herself (or at least a cardboard cutout version of her) and grab a bite from a limited food menu. This event was packed and busy, so plan to arrive early for your reservation time to snag a table.
NYC content creator Anders Getz of @adventurous_anders on Instagram attended the event this season. “It’s definitely a cute event with festive decoration and some notable backdrops including the “All I Want For Christmas Is You” sheet music on the wall. They have really good themed drinks and there’s even a Mariah cutout photo-op so it’s a fun idea to visit if you’re a fan of Mariah Carey and the holiday season,” said Getz.
It’s true, the cocktail menu was the real star of this event, with names like “Make My Wish Come True Martini,” “It’s Time!”, and “Queen of Christmas Cocoa.”
Jack Niemczyk, a grad student living in the East Village, is a self-proclaimed member of the “Lambily,” a.k.a the Mariah Carey fan club. Like every fan, Niemczyk adores the holidays when Carey is at her peak but definitely wishes this level of recognition was given all year round.
“Christmas has for sure eclipsed Mariah as an artist, as a long-time member of the lambily, her talents are often overlooked until it is Christmas time. She is an amazing vocalist, yes, but her producing and overall song creation is next to none. I think without Christmas though she would not be as established in the zeitgeist as she is,” said Niemczyk.
“It goes hand in hand for sure, but I do wish we could celebrate Mariah all year round and not just during Christmas!” he continued.
Whether you are participating in the Mariah Carey mania or not, it’s certain that her legacy is cemented for generations to come, leaving the catchy melody of “All I Want For Christmas Is You” stuck in our heads forever.
