ESLSongs

Celebrate christmas in your ESL class with this classic song, All I want for christmas is you by Mariah Carey.

These song lyrics include 15 examples of christmas-related vocabulary: christmas, presents, christmas tree, stocking, fireplace, Santa Claus, toy, christmas day, snow, mistletoe, North Pole, Saint Nick, reindeer, sleigh bells & Santa

There is a suggestion on how to use this song in your ESL classes below, but for more ideas, click here.

Lyrics

I don’t want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don’t care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you
Yeah

I don’t want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
(And I) don’t care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree
I don’t need to hang my stocking there upon the fireplace
Santa Claus won’t make me happy with a toy on Christmas Day

I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you
You, baby

Oh, I won’t ask for much this Christmas
I won’t even wish for snow
(And I) I’m just gonna keep on waiting underneath the mistletoe
I won’t make a list and send it to the North Pole for Saint Nick
I won’t even stay awake to hear those magic reindeer click

‘Cause I just want you here tonight
Holding on to me so tight
What more can I do?
Oh, baby, all I want for Christmas is you
You, baby

Oh-oh, all the lights are shining so brightly everywhere
And the sound of children’s laughter fills the air
And everyone is singing
I hear those sleigh bells ringing
Santa, won’t you bring me the one I really need?
Won’t you please bring my baby to me?

Oh, I don’t want a lot for Christmas
This is all I’m asking for
I just wanna see my baby standing right outside my door

Oh, I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
Oh, baby, all I want for Christmas is you
You, baby

All I want for Christmas is you, baby…

Suggested activity: fill the gaps

Download this exercise (PDF)

Listen to the song and fill the gaps with the christmas-related vocabulary: christmas, christmas tree, fireplace, mistletoe, North Pole, presents, reindeer, Saint Nick, Santa, Santa Claus, sleigh bells, snow, stocking & toy

I don’t want a lot for ¹_____________
There is just one thing I need
I don’t care about the ²_____________ underneath the ³_____________
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you

I don’t want a lot for ⁴_____________
There is just one thing I need
(And I) don’t care about the ⁵_____________ underneath the ⁶_____________
I don’t need to hang my ⁷_____________ there upon the ⁸_____________
⁹_____________ won’t make me happy with a ¹⁰_____________ on christmas day

I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you, baby

Oh, I won’t ask for much this ¹¹_____________
I won’t even wish for ¹²_____________
(And I) I’m just gonna keep on waiting underneath the ¹³_____________
I won’t make a list and send it to the ¹⁴_____________ for ¹⁵_____________
I won’t even stay awake to hear those magic ¹⁶_____________ click

‘Cause I just want you here tonight
Holding on to me so tight
What more can I do?
Oh, baby, all I want for Christmas is you, baby

Oh-oh, all the lights are shining so brightly everywhere
And the sound of children’s laughter fills the air
And everyone is singing, I hear those ¹⁷_____________ ringing
¹⁸_____________, won’t you bring me the one I really need?
Won’t you please bring my baby to me?

Oh, I don’t want a lot for ¹⁹_____________
This is all I’m asking for
I just wanna see my baby standing right outside my door

Oh, I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
Oh, baby, all I want for Christmas is you

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. An influential figure in music, she is known for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style, and signature use of the whistle register. Carey is also credited with influencing vocal styles, merging hip-hop with pop through her collaborations, popularizing remixes, and helping break down racial barriers for multiracial Americans in popular culture. Referred to as the “Songbird Supreme” by Guinness World Records, she was ranked as the fifth greatest singer of all time by Rolling Stone in 2023, and has been dubbed the “Queen of Christmas” for the enduring popularity of her Christmas music, particularly the 1994 song “All I Want for Christmas Is You”, which is the best-selling holiday song by a female artist.