Kate Leinbaugh

These days, Mariah Carey is all in on Christmas. But she wasn't always. John says when her label first pitched the idea of a Christmas album, she was skeptical. This was in the early 90s, when Mariah's fame was in full swing.

These days, Mariah Carey is all in on Christmas. But she wasn't always. John says when her label first pitched the idea of a Christmas album, she was skeptical. This was in the early 90s, when Mariah's fame was in full swing.

These days, Mariah Carey is all in on Christmas. But she wasn't always. John says when her label first pitched the idea of a Christmas album, she was skeptical. This was in the early 90s, when Mariah's fame was in full swing.

So she wrote the song. I have to say, for all the times I've heard it, I never knew that she actually wrote it.

So she wrote the song. I have to say, for all the times I've heard it, I never knew that she actually wrote it.

So she wrote the song. I have to say, for all the times I've heard it, I never knew that she actually wrote it.

How would you describe the song for those people who haven't heard it or those people who probably have heard it but didn't know what it was?

How would you describe the song for those people who haven't heard it or those people who probably have heard it but didn't know what it was?

How would you describe the song for those people who haven't heard it or those people who probably have heard it but didn't know what it was?

Do you sing along with her?

Do you sing along with her?

Do you sing along with her?

People might know the song from the first bell today, but it wasn't always a hit. Coming up, how Mariah's signature Christmas song became a smash success. All I Want for Christmas came out in 1994.

People might know the song from the first bell today, but it wasn't always a hit. Coming up, how Mariah's signature Christmas song became a smash success. All I Want for Christmas came out in 1994.

People might know the song from the first bell today, but it wasn't always a hit. Coming up, how Mariah's signature Christmas song became a smash success. All I Want for Christmas came out in 1994.

That seems surprising.

That seems surprising.

That seems surprising.

But in the early aughts, that started to change. Services like iTunes let people buy All I Want for Christmas as a standalone single. And a lot of people did. Mariah and her label started putting more marketing behind the song. She did those Christmas concerts and specials. And then last year, 25 years after it first came out, the song hit number one.

But in the early aughts, that started to change. Services like iTunes let people buy All I Want for Christmas as a standalone single. And a lot of people did. Mariah and her label started putting more marketing behind the song. She did those Christmas concerts and specials. And then last year, 25 years after it first came out, the song hit number one.