In concert, Mariah Carey cements her status as the Queen of Christmas

And of course, her song “All I Want for Christmas,” which she recorded in 1994, has become part of the canon and remains one of the most played Christmas songs year after year, rivaling Wham and Lee’s “Last Christmas” and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas.” Tree.”

Photo credit: Robb Cohen for the Atlanta Journ

Photo credit: Robb Cohen for the Atlanta Journ

On Saturday, Carey, 55, came to Atlanta for the first time ever with her Christmas-themed concert, selling out State Farm Arena and giving fans an early excuse to don reindeer antlers, Santa hats, sparkly red dresses and ugly Christmas sweaters.

Photo credit: RODNEY HO

Photo credit: RODNEY HO

And since Carey has never pretended to be a dancer before, a dozen professional dancers of varying ages did the heavy lifting, keeping the hustle and bustle behind her. She also had a choir provide spiritual encouragement to the audience during certain songs, particularly the opening set of religious classics such as “Hark!” The Herald Angels sing “Gloria” and “O Holy Night.”

It featured several of her original Christmas songs, such as the wistful ballad “Miss You Most (at Christmas Time)” and the upbeat “Oh Santa!” and the pretty R&B-tinged “When Christmas Comes.”

Photo credit: RODNEY HO/rhO

Photo credit: RODNEY HO/rhO

She also devoted a lot of time on stage to her 13-year-old twins Monroe and Moroccan. About halfway through the concert, Monroe led a group of children through the Waitresses’ saucy 1981 song “Christmas Wrapping.” She was then joined on drums by her twin brother Moroccan for a mashup of “Deck the Halls” and “Let It Snow!” ” accompanied. Let it snow! Let it snow!”

After Santa Claus himself appeared on “Here Comes Santa Claus” and threw presents into the audience, Carey came out in a fresh dress. She noted that when she first toured with a Christmas show a decade ago, she limited herself exclusively to Christmas songs. But her agent suggested she also record some legendary, non-Christmas tunes. She agreed.

Photo credit: RODNEY HO/[email protected]

Photo credit: RODNEY HO/[email protected]

“You have to give them hits,” she said on stage. That’s why she performed five of her signature monster songs absolutely perfectly: “Emotions”, “Hero”, “Always Be My Baby”, “Fantasy” and “We Belong Together”.

During “Fantasy,” she fulfilled the fantasies of two excited fans by bringing them on stage for two selfies and signing some posters. It felt very Willy Wonka like winning the golden Carey ticket.

As she changed into her final outfit, the choir rose across the stage and sang a beautiful “Carol of the Bells.” Then their music director, Daniel Moore, led the audience in singing “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

Photo credit: RODNEY HO/rho

Photo credit: RODNEY HO/rho

Then Carey took the stage on a sleigh for an encore of the cheerful song that launched her Christmas career: “All I Want for Christmas is You.” A monsoon of fake snow shot down from the ceiling and Santa Claus came back along with his twin boys. As the final notes of the song ended, Carey jumped onto the sleigh with her children and disappeared backstage.

But Christmas lovers need not worry: Carey will remain ubiquitous in your ear at every local Starbucks and Target for another month.