On Nov. 1, singer-songwriter Mariah Carey released her annual “defrosting” video featuring her Christmas mega-hit “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” doubling as an ad for Sephora’s Christmas collection. The ad — a short film in which Carey “saves” Christmas from an elf on strike — received criticism for its mocking portrayal of overworked laborers. Despite its playful intent, Carey’s ad is a celebrity’s tone-deaf attempt at humor that trivializes worker exploitation while reinforcing shallow consumerist ideals of the holidays amid a widening socioeconomic divide.
Since 2019, Carey has posted annual videos on Nov. 1, where she “defrosts” into the winter holiday, kicking off the season with song.
This year’s video — the first to be spun into an ad — features Carey dressed in an angel costume and comedian Billy Eichner, playing an elf caught stealing a sack of Sephora products.
“Busted! Bad news, Mariah Carey. The elves are striking this year. Elf revenge for putting us through holiday hell. Santa’s helpers quit. I’m pawning all this so I can afford elf therapy,” Eichner says. “Christmas — it’s canceled. No bells, no cheer, no glam! Bye, sweetie.”
“You can’t cancel Christmas!” says Carey.
“Any last words?” asks Eichner.
“Yeah,” Carey says. “It’s time!”
As she sings, her costume transforms into a Santa-inspired outfit and Eichner freezes, turning into a snowman. Carey drives a sleigh around the world, tossing Sephora bags down chimneys.
The ad ridicules labor strikes, which have dramatically increased in the previous few years — particularly during the holiday season, when employees are especially overworked. Last Christmas, nearly 9,000 Amazon workers organized 20 bargaining units, requesting the company recognize unions and negotiate workplace conditions. Regardless of intent, the ad reduces low-wage workers’ labor and struggles to a fictional trope. It overshadows the crucial role strikes play in allowing workers to stand up to powerful corporations and advocate for better conditions, capitalizing on a serious issue as a marketing backdrop.
Amid economic stress, with 67% of Americans living from paycheck to paycheck according to a 2025 PNC Bank report, Carey’s ad belittles those who can’t afford holiday materialism this year. Ironically, “All I Want For Christmas” — a song about sharing holiday cheer instead of seeking materialistic gifts — soundtracks Carey accusing the elf of “cancelling” Christmas by taking away Sephora products and going on strike, insinuating that holiday spirit relies on superficial gifts. A wealthy celebrity and brand capitalizing on these struggles only adds insult to injury.
Though some viewers argue the ad was a lighthearted continuation of tradition and not intended to put down the working class, the so-called ‘harmless holiday humor’ loses its innocence in its disconnection from the world it’s selling to. Regardless of intent, the ad was inappropriate amidst a turbulent socioeconomic climate, and its reflection of the real-life struggles of millions of laborers should have been checked before publication.
Carey’s ad is a reminder of how easily media can trivialize real-life struggles. The normalization of such tone-deaf ads puts down the common laborer and dismisses their struggles amidst a busy holiday season. Satire is only effective and appropriate when its audience can recognize the joke without feeling trivialized by it; creators must critically evaluate not just the intent behind their work, but its broader social impact.
