The modern holiday juggernaut Written in just 15 minutes with producer Walter Afanasieff, Mariah Carey’s holiday anthem was originally meant to feel timeless , not trendy—built around Phil Spector-style orchestration, sleigh bells, and a love-song core instead of overt Christmas novelty. That decision turned out to be historic. What keeps the song unkillable isn’t just nostalgia—it’s structure. The intro is instantly recognizable, Mariah’s vocal runs hit peak drama without ov