As I write this article, it is the end of November and Mariah Carey has officially taken over the airwaves again. Her extremely famous Christmas song, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” has been playing on the radio and in stores for a month already, and it isn’t even December yet! If you want to learn English through songs, this is the perfect one to use this holiday season.
What Is “All I Want for Christmas Is You” About?
First released in 1994, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” became a huge hit right away and has topped the music charts every year since then. Mariah Carey makes millions of dollars per year from the song and has been called “The Queen of Christmas” for just that reason. But what, exactly, is the song about?
“All I Want for Christmas Is You” is a happy, upbeat love song in which the singer talks about how she doesn’t want any Christmas gifts this year, she only wants the person she loves. The first verse of the song makes it all very clear:
“I don’t want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don’t care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you.”
So, she is basically saying to forget about the presents: if the person Mariah loves decides to spend Christmas with her, she will be happy.
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Christmas Word List
Not all countries celebrate Christmas, but most English-speaking ones do. Whether they do it for religious reasons (celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ), or use it as a way to gather together with family and friends, it is considered the most important holiday of the year.
“All I Want for Christmas Is You” is a perfect song with which to learn English through music because it is full of Christmas words that will come in handy when you are discussing the holiday. Let’s take a look at all the Christmas vocabulary you can find in this song, with examples you can use in real life.
Christmas Items
| Christmas Word | Definition | Example |
| presents | something given to someone without expecting for anything in return; gifts | My son received so many presents for Christmas this year! |
| Christmas tree | traditionally a pine tree decorated with lights and decorations to celebrate Christmas | Did you see the Christmas tree in the town square? It’s so big and beautiful! |
| wish | a desire; something you hope for | My Christmas wish is to see my grandmother again. |
| stocking | a decorated sock that is traditionally hung on a hook or nail above the fireplace and filled with small gifts or food on Christmas morning | Charlie’s stocking was full of chocolate candy. He was so happy! |
| fireplace | a place where fires can be lit inside the house for heating or cooking food | The stockings were hung above the fireplace so Santa Claus could find them. |
| snow | water frozen into crystals that falls from the sky when it is cold | Christmas is even more magical if there is snow on the ground! |
| mistletoe | a plant with leaves and berries that is traditionally hung in doorways around Christmas; if you stand under it, you may get kissed! | I just saw my mom and dad kissing under the mistletoe! |
| sleigh | a type of cart pulled by an animal (in our case, reindeer); often used for gliding over snow | Did you see that in the sky? I think it was Santa Claus’ flying sleigh! |
Christmas Characters and Places
| Christmas Word | Definition | Example |
| Santa Claus | also known as “Father Christmas”; a jolly, man with a red suit and white beard who flies around the world on Christmas Eve (the night before Christmas) to deliver toys to children (legend) | What kinds of toys did you ask Santa Claus to bring you this year? |
| Saint Nick | a nickname for Santa Claus; short for Saint Nicholas, the person the myth of Santa Claus is based on | We should go to bed early if we want Saint Nick to leave us presents! |
| North Pole | literally the place farthest north on the globe, figuratively the place where Santa Claus lives | Santa Claus has to come all the way from the North Pole to bring us presents. |
| reindeer | a type of large deer that lives in cold places far north; according to legend, flying reindeer pull Santa Claus’ sleigh on Christmas Eve | If you count Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus has nine reindeer to guide his sleigh. |
FAQs
Is Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” useful for learning English?
“All I Want for Christmas Is You” features a lot of repeated lines, which helps vocabulary and pronunciation stick in your memory. It is also catchy and fun, making learning entertaining. Add to that the fact that it is full of great Christmas vocabulary words to learn, and you have a terrific three-minute English lesson.
Is it a good idea to learn English through songs?
Yes! Studies have shown that learning English through songs is a fantastic way to practice because it is more engaging than a typical lesson with a tutor or textbook. While you most likely can’t become fluent solely by learning with music, you can definitely make some real progress and stay motivated to stick with your English studies using this entertaining approach.
Final Takeaway
“All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey is ubiquitous (meaning: everywhere) during the holiday season. You should take advantage of that by using it to practice English! Jolii.ai can help by giving you subtitles for the song and personalized lessons based on it. Check it out today.
