On November 1, 2026, Mariah Carey once again performed her annual ritual that fans worldwide await with just as much anticipation as new album premieres: the singer symbolically closed the Halloween season and announced the start of Christmas. This year's announcement took on an especially spectacular character, with an unusual advertising billboard in New York's Times Square turning one of the busiest streets on the planet into a stage for a musical show.
Ice Block in Times Square: What the Show Looked Like
A structure resembling a frozen block of ice appeared on a large digital screen. At a certain moment, the ice began to crack, and its fragments shattered spectacularly right above the city street. Behind the crumbling wall, an image of Mariah Carey in red attire was revealed—a symbolic reminder of the approaching Christmas. The singer's appearance was accompanied by the inscription "It's Time!", which served as a concise yet recognizable signal: the season of her main Christmas hit had officially begun.
The Punk Rocker Transformed into the 'Queen of Christmas' at Midnight
As every year, on November 1 the singer published a video concluding Halloween and opening the Christmas season. The 2026 video featured an unexpected transformation: first, Carey appeared as a punk rocker, and right at midnight transformed into fans' familiar "Queen of Christmas." The video was accompanied by her famous track "All I Want for Christmas Is You," which became the sonic leitmotif of the entire holiday period.
«All I Want for Christmas Is You»: The Hit That Returns Every Year
Released in 1994 on the album «Merry Christmas», the track has long become one of the main musical symbols of the Christmas holidays. Every year in late November, the song returns to global charts, and Mariah Carey herself has turned the announcement of the holiday season into a steady, recognizable tradition tracked by media and fans down to the minute.
Why This Matters: Tradition as a Cultural Phenomenon
For millions of listeners, November 1 and Mariah Carey's video effectively become the informal start date of the Christmas season. The combination of spectacular urban media (the Times Square billboard), personal video transformation, and the cult hit turns an ordinary music release into an annual public event that unites fans across different countries and sets the mood for the entire winter period.
