It’s that magical moment again—it’s time Mariah Carey to defrost and officially declare the start of the Christmas season. On November 1, 2025, the five-time Grammy-winning singer and global holiday icon kicked off the festive season with her now-legendary “It’s Time” video, once again breaking the internet and confirming that the most wonderful time of the year has begun.
With her trademark humor, glamour, and a dash of self-awareness, Mariah Carey shared this year’s “It’s Time” clip at exactly midnight Eastern Time, sending fans worldwide into a Christmas frenzy. Within hours, hashtags like #ItsTime, #MariahCarey, and #AllIWantForChristmasIsYou were trending across X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok.
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Mariah Carey Declares: It’s Time
Every year as Halloween fades into November, fans eagerly await Mariah Carey’s signal that the holiday season has begun. This year’s video didn’t disappoint.
In the 2025 edition of “It’s Time”, Mariah is seen emerging from a giant block of “ice” surrounded by her backup dancers dressed as toy soldiers and snowflakes. As the clock strikes midnight, the frozen chamber bursts open, and Carey belts out the first line of her classic hit: “It’s tiiiiiime!”—a moment that instantly sent fans into nostalgic overdrive.
The video was shared across her official Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube accounts and racked up more than 35 million views within the first 24 hours. On TikTok alone, the audio clip inspired over 500,000 fan recreations in a single day, showing just how deeply the tradition has become part of pop culture.
The Tradition Behind “It’s Time”
Mariah Carey’s “It’s Time” video has become an annual event since she first introduced it in 2021, turning what was once a meme into an official holiday kickoff.
Every year, she unveils a new, highly produced video at midnight on November 1, symbolically “defrosting” from her off-season slumber as the “Queen of Christmas.”
The tradition coincides perfectly with streaming trends: as soon as the video drops, Carey’s 1994 classic “All I Want for Christmas Is You” immediately begins its annual climb up the charts.
- In 2024, the song re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 just hours after her “It’s Time” post.
- By mid-November, it reclaimed the No. 1 spot on iTunes in 23 countries.
- It has topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart every holiday season since 2019.
With over 1.7 billion Spotify streams and counting, the song remains the most-streamed Christmas track of all time, solidifying Carey’s unmatched reign over the holiday music scene.
Inside the 2025 “It’s Time” Video
Each year, Mariah’s creative team pushes the boundaries to make her announcement even more spectacular. For 2025, the production took on a futuristic ice-queen theme designed by director Joseph Kahn, who also directed Carey’s 2023 “defrost” video.
The 2025 version featured:
- A massive crystal ice palace set built in a New York soundstage.
- Carey styled in a custom silver Dolce & Gabbana gown with Swarovski embellishments.
- Background dancers performing in motion-capture snow suits, digitally enhanced to resemble snowflakes swirling around her.
- A short teaser at the end hinting at her upcoming holiday tour, titled “Merry & Bright: A Christmas Celebration.”
The overall vibe was equal parts festive and futuristic—Mariah embracing her legacy while keeping things fresh and visually dazzling.
The 2025 Holiday Tour Announcement
Alongside her viral “It’s Time” reveal, Carey officially announced her 2025 North American holiday tour, set to begin on November 20, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois.
Titled “Merry & Bright: A Christmas Celebration,” the tour will visit 18 cities across the U.S. and Canada, wrapping up with a finale in New York City’s Madison Square Garden on December 22, 2025.
A few key stops include:
- November 24 – Los Angeles, CA
- November 29 – Dallas, TX
- December 6 – Atlanta, GA
- December 15 – Toronto, ON
- December 22 – New York, NY
The setlist is expected to include her holiday hits “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” “Oh Santa!,” and “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” as well as fan favorites from her earlier albums.
Tickets went on sale this morning through Ticketmaster, with presales for Mariah’s official fan club already sold out within an hour.
Mariah Carey’s Cultural Impact Every November
When it comes to Christmas, Mariah Carey isn’t just a singer—she’s an annual event. Her influence on holiday culture extends far beyond music charts. Retailers, streaming platforms, and radio stations all time their holiday rollouts around her “It’s Time” video.
- Radio airplay for Christmas songs spikes by nearly 40% in the 48 hours following her post.
- Spotify’s U.S. “Christmas Hits” playlist sees Carey’s track rise to the top instantly.
- Retail chains like Target and Macy’s start their Christmas promotions immediately after the video trends online.
It’s not just marketing—it’s a pop culture phenomenon. The “It’s Time” moment marks the official shift from pumpkin spice to peppermint, from spooky decorations to sparkling lights.
A Record-Breaking Legacy
Since its release in 1994, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” has become the best-selling modern Christmas song in history. The track reclaims chart dominance every year, and 2025 shows no signs of slowing down.
- Certified Diamond by the RIAA, with over 10 million sales in the U.S.
- Over 23 million copies sold worldwide.
- Featured in countless films, commercials, and TV specials.
- In 2021, it surpassed 1 billion YouTube views.
- In 2022, it became the first holiday song to hit 1 billion streams on Spotify.
The song has also earned Carey over $75 million in royalties, according to music industry analysts—proof that her holiday crown remains firmly in place.
Fan Reactions: The Internet’s Favorite Seasonal Moment
The response to the 2025 “It’s Time” post has been, as expected, massive. Fans across the U.S. flooded social media with memes, celebrations, and videos welcoming Mariah back into their playlists.
Some of the most viral fan reactions include:
- “Mariah Carey defrosted faster than my freezer this year!”
- “When she says ‘It’s time,’ you know the year is almost over.”
- “I don’t care what the calendar says—it’s Christmas now because Mariah said so.”
On TikTok, the #ItsTime trend has already amassed over 200 million views, with creators syncing videos of Christmas tree decorating, hot cocoa making, and holiday shopping sprees to Carey’s voice clip.
Mariah Carey’s Message to Fans
Mariah took a moment to thank fans for their continued support during a live Q&A on Instagram shortly after posting the video. “Every year, I’m so grateful to see how much joy this brings people,” she said. “If I can make someone smile, sing, or feel festive for a moment, that’s the real gift.”
She also hinted at new holiday music in 2026, teasing that she’s working on “something fresh but classic” for next year’s Christmas season.
Final Thoughts
So yes—it’s time, Mariah Carey! Once again, she’s ushered in the holiday season with sparkle, humor, and her signature high note of joy. From her dazzling “It’s Time” video to her upcoming tour, Mariah has proven once more that no one does Christmas quite like her.
What do you think of Mariah Carey’s 2025 “It’s Time” video? Share your thoughts below and tell us when you start playing Christmas music each year!