It's Time!

Mariah during the 2023 "It's Time" Video

It's Time is an annual video by Mariah Carey, signifying the start of the holiday season. Released consistently around the same period, the transition from October 31st to November 1st at the stroke of midnight serves as the cue. The tradition began in 2019 and has continued each year.

Background

The "It's Time" video series humorously addresses the eagerness of fans to start the holiday season by playing her holiday music most notably "All I Want For Christmas Is You" well before the holiday season officially begins. During an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Carey joked about the early streaming of her holiday hit, noting that she had to go with the flow despite initially resisting the early start. She played along with the fans' excitement, declaring "Not yet, don't play it yet. It’s not time yet," but eventually embraced the early celebration as a running joke. The video has been posted each year since 2019.

Videos

2019

The first "It's Time" video was posted on November 1, 2019. The 29-second clip starts with Carey falling asleep in her eighties rocker costume while her phone shows the time as 11:59 p.m. on Halloween. Then, as the clock strikes midnight on Nov. 1, a twinkling tune kicks in and Carey picks up a call from Santa. “Santa!” Carey calls out, now in red Christmas pajamas. “Ho, Ho, Ho,” he’s heard responding. “Its time,” she sings back before giving a joyous scream.

2020

The second "Its Time" video was posted on November 1, 2020. It opens with a creepy, black-clad monster with its mouth sewn shut, lurking and opening doors as eerie sounds play in the background. Suddenly, a giant pink butterfly appears on a whiteboard, followed by a shot of a door covered in spiderwebs, dripping blood, handprints, and the words "not yet." As the creature reaches for the door knob, the music shifts to the twinkling bells from the start of "All I Want For Christmas Is You."

When the door finally opens, it reveals a cozy Christmas scene with Mariah, dressed in festive pajamas, smiling brightly as she kneels on "snow" in front of a beautifully decorated tree. With a watch on her wrists, Mariah joyfully declares, “It’s time!” while her little pups look on. As indoor snowflakes fall around her, the iconic song "All I Want for Christmas Is You" begins to play. The video ends with a black screen displaying the message: “IT’S TIME! (But let’s get through Thanksgiving first)”

2021

The third "Its Time" video was posted on November 1, 2021. It opens with three jack-o'-lanterns, each displaying a word to form the phrase "It's Not Time," along with other Halloween decorations. In the next scene, Carey appears, holding a candy-themed baseball bat. She steps outside and uses the bat to smash the middle jack-o'-lantern labeled “Not.” As the pumpkin breaks, she laughs, and the familiar jingle of "All I Want for Christmas Is You" begins to play, accompanied by a voiceover declaring, “It’s time.”

The video then transitions to Carey standing in a Christmas-decorated living room, wearing a Santa Claus-inspired jumpsuit. She tosses "fake snow" into the air and cheers in celebration.

At one point, the date "11/5" flashes on a gift-wrapped present, which ended up being the release date of Carey's Christmas single "Fall in Love at Christmas." The video ends with the words, "It's Time!!!" followed by a playful message: “To smash that pumpkin and treat it as pie... cause we still gotta get through Thanksgiving!”

2022

The fourth "It’s Time" video was posted on November 1, 2022. It begins in black and white, showing Mariah Carey on a stationary bike, dressed as a witch and surrounded by jack-o'-lanterns and animated bats. She laughs mischievously as a witch, then a piece of paper reading "November 1" appears, transitioning the scene into a burst of color.

With a cheerful squeal of "It’s time!" from Mariah, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” starts to play. The camera zooms out, revealing Carey atop a reindeer, with snow falling all around.

2023

The fifth "It’s Time" video was posted on November 1, 2023. The fifth "It’s Time" video was released on November 1, 2023. It opens with a shot of a frozen vault, above which a red countdown clock reads “November 1, 12:00.” As the vault doors open, we see Carey’s assistants in various spooky masks using hair dryers to help Mariah thaw out from a giant block of ice. Mariah completes the job by hitting a whistle note, shattering the ice with “It’s time!!!!”

Emerging in a red-and-white Santa-inspired costume, she steps into a snowy Christmas scene surrounded by trees. Her twins, Monroe and Moroccan, Kristofer Buckle, and others join the celebration, dancing, as “All I Want For Christmas Is You” officially kicks off the holiday season.

2024

The sixth "Its Time" video was posted on November 1, 2024. The clip begins on a dark, eerie night, featuring a full moon, howling wolves, and steady rain falling on a haunted mansion. The scene shifts to Carey dressed as Morticia Addams from The Addams Family, in a sparkly black dress, a dark wig, and intense makeup. She walks towards and takes the hand of a dancer dressed as Gomez Addams, and the two begin their signature, spooky tango. After a few spins and dips, Mariah pushes Gomez out of frame, tosses a dagger at him—just barely missing him—and gives a knowing look to the camera. Next, a mysterious cabinet opens as the last calendar pages of October fly away.

Inside the cabinet is Mariah’s in a red and white Santa jumper. "IT'S TIME!" she declares in whistle register from a sleigh packed with presents as fake snow fills the scene. Gomez is transformed into a snowman, and "All I Want For Christmas Is You," starts playing.

The video closes with Mariah smiling as she and her reindeer prepare to take off in her festive sleigh.

The video was done in partnership with Kay Jewelers.

Gallery

IT’S TIME!!! 🎄☃️ -MariahSZN

2022

Mariah Carey - IT'S TIME!!

2023

MARIAH CAREY - IT'S TIME!!!! (2024)

2024