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Mariah Carey, Santa Claus and Librarian Carla Hayden, all in holiday attire, post at Christmas tree in the Great Hall. Carey holds a framed certificate from the National Recording Registry.
Mariah Carey, Santa and Librarian Carla Hayden at last night's Christmas event, with a delighted crowd in the background. Photo: Shawn Miller.

All I Want for Christmas Is … Mariah Carey at the Library?

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Is it even Christmas if Mariah Carey doesn’t drop in on your holiday party?

The entertainment icon surprised a festive crowd during the Library’s Santa Claus edition of “Live! At the Library“ last night, making an entrance as her signature hit, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” played in the Great Hall.

Decked out in a stage-worthy sparkling dress and pink high heels, she picked up the song’s framed certificate of induction from the National Recording Registry from Librarian Carla Hayden and – like most everyone else at the party – posed for a couple of pictures by the Christmas tree.

Carey made the visit during a whirlwind trip through Washington during a one-day break from her Christmas concert tour. She’s back in concert tonight in Baltimore.

She was delighted earlier this year when “All I Want” was inducted into the recording registry, earning a forever home in the Library as part of the country’s official heritage in music and sound recordings. During an interview about the honor, she accepted an invitation to visit when she was next in Washington, leading to last night’s appearance.

Carey cowrote the song with Walter Afanasieff in 1994. Billboard Magazine puts it at No.1 in its list of “Greatest Of All Time Holiday 100 Songs.”

“I wanted (the song) to embody all the things I didn’t have when I was a kid,” she said.

Mariah Carey, in a sparking dress with a matching jacket, admire the Library's Christmas tree in the Great Hall.
Mariah Carey at the Christmas tree in the Great Hall. Photo: Shawn Miller.

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Comments (2)

  1. This is a wonderful thing cause that will live for many generations now even in the 30 th century and on and on, hear hopping the things like that will never be lost due to wars and destruction cause song and music 🎵 dose claim down fighting especially beautiful Christmas music

  2. The Library of Congress Social Media Team needs an extra present in their stocking this year. The Lizzo coverage was excellent, and now they wrap up the year with this. Very cool innovation in telling their agency’s story to a wider audience. Well done!

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