Ariana Grande Delivers Festive Rendition of Mariah Carey’s Christmas Classic on ‘Saturday Night Live’

Los Angeles: Pop superstar Ariana Grande treated audiences to a playful and festive rendition of Mariah Carey’s iconic holiday hit All I Want for Christmas Is You during her monologue on Saturday Night Live.

Grande’s monologue, set to the tune of the beloved Christmas song, humorously explored the awkwardness and stress of buying gifts for distant acquaintances and “friends of friends.” Titled What Do I Get for Christmas for This Dude?, the segment struck a chord with the audience and drew loud cheers as soon as viewers realized she was parodying Carey’s seasonal anthem, according to Variety.

Saturday’s episode was the Christmas special of SNL Season 51, with Grande returning as host for the third time. Music legend Cher appeared as the musical guest. The episode was also notable as the reported final appearance of cast member Bowen Yang, following news that broke on Friday about his exit from the show.

Yang, who has shared the screen with Grande in Wicked and the upcoming Wicked: For Good, joined her on stage during the spoof performance. Grande opened her monologue by sharing her love for New York during December, praising the decorations, snowfall, and holiday shopping, before admitting that gift-buying for certain people in her life causes her considerable stress.

She joked about not knowing what to buy for “my cousin’s boyfriend Steve,” quipping that she only ever sees him on Christmas Eve and knows virtually nothing about him. Grande also poked fun at her hectic promotional schedule for Wicked: For Good, humorously claiming that director Jon M. Chu kept her so busy with press commitments that she barely had time for a bathroom break.

Continuing the parody, she sang lines referencing her packed calendar and relentless media appearances, drawing laughter from the audience. When Yang joined her, Grande teased him about having a minimal role in Wicked, leading to a comic exchange in which Yang jokingly pointed out that she was thanking him for what was actually his only line in the film.

The lighthearted monologue blended holiday humor, pop culture references, and self-deprecation, making it one of the standout moments of the festive SNL episode.

With inputs from IANS