Mariah Carey has said she is “freaking out” over her hit song All I Want For Christmas Is You entering its 25th year this Christmas.
The pop icon, 49, first released the song in 1994, entering the UK charts at number 5 before rising to number 2.
It is one of her most successful songs to date, having spent a total of 92 weeks in the UK charts and rose again to number 2 over Christmas in 2017 and 2018.
The song has charted in the USA each year at Christmas time since its original release.
Speaking to Cosmopolitan, Carey said: “The more I hear [that it’s turning 25], the more I freak out. I’d rather just say it feels like it’s going to be a great anniversary for the album. We’ll call it a birthday. It’s not that it scares me, it’s just if you don’t acknowledge time, you don’t have to deal with it.”
When writing the song, Carey said she decided to “get into the Christmas mood” before writing the hit.
Mariah Carey’s most memorable outfits – In pictures
1/40 Scroll through to see Mariah Carey’s most memorable looks…
Getty Images
2/40 04 November 2003
On her Around the World tour
AFP/Getty Images
3/40 August 5, 2015
Being honoured with Star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame
Getty Images
4/40 October 20, 2019
Dubai Expo 2020 One Year to Go
AP
5/40 October 20, 2019
Dubai Expo 2020 One Year to Go
AP
6/40 January 7, 2018
At the 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards
Getty Images
7/40 March 24, 2018
At Nickelodeon’s 2018 Kids’ Choice Awards
Getty Images
8/40 December 31, 2017
Performing during New Year’s Eve celebrations
AFP/Getty Images
9/40 November 1, 2017
Being honoured with a Hand and Footprint Ceremony at TCL Chinese Theatre
Getty Images
10/40 December 31, 2016
Performing during New Year’s Eve celebrations
AFP/Getty Images
11/40 May 16, 2016
At the NBCUniversal 2016 Upfront Presentation
Getty Images
12/40 January 18, 2014
At the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
Getty Images
13/40 December 15, 2014
Performing her holiday smash hits at the Beacon Theatre
Getty Images for Maroon Ent
14/40 December 3, 2014
At the 82nd annual Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
Getty Images
15/40 August 5, 2013
Attending Lee Daniels’ The Butler New York Premiere
Getty Images
16/40 July 13, 2013
Performing at the 2013 Major League Baseball All-Star Charity Concert
Getty Images
17/40 May 24, 2013
Performing on ABC’s Good Morning America
Getty Images
18/40 April 27, 2012
With Nick Cannon during their wedding vows renewal ceremony
Getty Images
19/40 February 23, 2010
Performing at the Gibson Amphitheatre
Getty Images
20/40 October 31, 2009
During Halloween celebration at M2 Ultra Lounge
Getty Images
21/40 October 15, 2009
At Narita International Airport
Getty Images
22/40 September 13, 2009
At the Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire pre-party
Getty Images
23/40 May 28, 2008
At a baseball match between Yomiuri Giants and Rakuten Golden Eagles at Tokyo Dome
Getty Images
24/40 July 29, 2006
Performing at the Pepsi Smash Concert
Getty Images
25/40 May 30, 2006
Being awarded best legs by Gillette Venus
Getty Images
26/40 April 12, 2006
At MTV’s Total Request Live
Getty Images
27/40 May 14, 2005
Attending Oprah Winfrey’s Legends Ball
Getty Images
28/40 April 21, 2005
At her Album Release Party
Getty Images
29/40 12 April, 2005
Attending the presentation of her new album The Emancipation of Mimi
AFP/Getty Images
30/40 March 26, 2005
At the launch party to celebrate The Emancipation of Mimi
Getty Images
31/40 November 4, 2004
Attending Sean “P. Diddy” Combs 35th Birthday Celebration
Getty Images
32/40 October 31, 2004
Arriving at her Halloween party
Getty Images
33/40 June 3, 2004
Arriving at the Fresh Air Fund Salute To American Heroes gala
Getty Images
34/40 October 31, 2003
Arriving at her private Halloween party at The Collection
Getty Images
35/40 March 21, 2003
Posing at a press event to release her new single
Getty Images
36/40 July 13, 2001
Leaving the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in London
Getty Images
37/40 July 12, 2001
At Home House for a special dinner party
Getty Images
38/40 July 11, 2001
Leaving the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge
Getty Images
39/40 4 September, 1998
At the Soul Train awards
Getty Images
40/40 24 October, 1997
At the 1997 MTV Video Awards
Getty Images
1/40 Scroll through to see Mariah Carey’s most memorable looks…
Getty Images
2/40 04 November 2003
On her Around the World tour
AFP/Getty Images
3/40 August 5, 2015
Being honoured with Star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame
Getty Images
4/40 October 20, 2019
Dubai Expo 2020 One Year to Go
AP
5/40 October 20, 2019
Dubai Expo 2020 One Year to Go
AP
6/40 January 7, 2018
At the 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards
Getty Images
7/40 March 24, 2018
At Nickelodeon’s 2018 Kids’ Choice Awards
Getty Images
8/40 December 31, 2017
Performing during New Year’s Eve celebrations
AFP/Getty Images
9/40 November 1, 2017
Being honoured with a Hand and Footprint Ceremony at TCL Chinese Theatre
Getty Images
10/40 December 31, 2016
Performing during New Year’s Eve celebrations
AFP/Getty Images
11/40 May 16, 2016
At the NBCUniversal 2016 Upfront Presentation
Getty Images
12/40 January 18, 2014
At the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
Getty Images
13/40 December 15, 2014
Performing her holiday smash hits at the Beacon Theatre
Getty Images for Maroon Ent
14/40 December 3, 2014
At the 82nd annual Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
Getty Images
15/40 August 5, 2013
Attending Lee Daniels’ The Butler New York Premiere
Getty Images
16/40 July 13, 2013
Performing at the 2013 Major League Baseball All-Star Charity Concert
Getty Images
17/40 May 24, 2013
Performing on ABC’s Good Morning America
Getty Images
18/40 April 27, 2012
With Nick Cannon during their wedding vows renewal ceremony
Getty Images
19/40 February 23, 2010
Performing at the Gibson Amphitheatre
Getty Images
20/40 October 31, 2009
During Halloween celebration at M2 Ultra Lounge
Getty Images
21/40 October 15, 2009
At Narita International Airport
Getty Images
22/40 September 13, 2009
At the Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire pre-party
Getty Images
23/40 May 28, 2008
At a baseball match between Yomiuri Giants and Rakuten Golden Eagles at Tokyo Dome
Getty Images
24/40 July 29, 2006
Performing at the Pepsi Smash Concert
Getty Images
25/40 May 30, 2006
Being awarded best legs by Gillette Venus
Getty Images
26/40 April 12, 2006
At MTV’s Total Request Live
Getty Images
27/40 May 14, 2005
Attending Oprah Winfrey’s Legends Ball
Getty Images
28/40 April 21, 2005
At her Album Release Party
Getty Images
29/40 12 April, 2005
Attending the presentation of her new album The Emancipation of Mimi
AFP/Getty Images
30/40 March 26, 2005
At the launch party to celebrate The Emancipation of Mimi
Getty Images
31/40 November 4, 2004
Attending Sean “P. Diddy” Combs 35th Birthday Celebration
Getty Images
32/40 October 31, 2004
Arriving at her Halloween party
Getty Images
33/40 June 3, 2004
Arriving at the Fresh Air Fund Salute To American Heroes gala
Getty Images
34/40 October 31, 2003
Arriving at her private Halloween party at The Collection
Getty Images
35/40 March 21, 2003
Posing at a press event to release her new single
Getty Images
36/40 July 13, 2001
Leaving the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in London
Getty Images
37/40 July 12, 2001
At Home House for a special dinner party
Getty Images
38/40 July 11, 2001
Leaving the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge
Getty Images
39/40 4 September, 1998
At the Soul Train awards
Getty Images
40/40 24 October, 1997
At the 1997 MTV Video Awards
Getty Images
“I just sat down, decorated a little tree and put on It’s A Wonderful Life and tried to get into that mood,” she said. “Then I sat in this small room with a keyboard and started doing little melodies and stuff. I was going over all the things I think about at Christmas time that make me happy and how to turn it around and make it into a love song.”
Last week, the star’s 1994 album Merry Christmas – which All I Want for Christmas is You featured on – was re-released today to mark its 25th anniversary.
She also released a tongue-in-cheek video launching the start of the festive season.
The video kicks off as Carey goes to sleep dressed in her Halloween costume, still wearing a glam rock-style wig and heavy eye make-up and clutching her phone in her hand.
The camera then zooms in on the phone screen as the time changes to midnight on November 1, marking the end of the Halloween celebrations.
The famous opening notes of All I Want For Christmas play in the background as Carey’s phone flashes with an incoming call from Santa.
Carey’s fans hailed the singer for fully embracing the festive season, with many Twitter users joking that she’d been gearing up for this moment all year.
Read the full interview in the December issue of Cosmopolitan – on sale now
