I don’t want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need…
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
(“All I Want for Christmas is You”)

Mariah Carey and her writing partner took less than a half-hour to carve out the basic structure of this now classic pop Christmas song. I have to admit, the song is simply perfect in almost every way.

It’s one problem is the same problem it shares with almost every love song ever written: It intermingles “wanting” with “needing.”

Whether it’s Mariah or Cheap Trick (“I want you to want me; I need you to need me”), artists have been intermingling these two ideas for seemingly ever. AS IF THEY’RE THE SAME THING AT ALL!!! (Sorry for screaming.) I’ve written about this before, but this horse is still not dead.

When you need your partner, you’re trying to attract them to your weakness, by either obligating them to stay, or passive-aggressively asking for their pity. When you want your partner, however, you’re boldly inviting them to want you right back.

When you need your partner, you can’t live without them, even if you could choose otherwise. When you want your partner, however, you’re choosing to live with them, even though you don’t have to.

Neediness attracts with glue; Desire, however, attracts with honey.

Which one attracts you?

The three best versions of “All I Want for Christmas is You”
1. Mariah Carey (of course)
2. Michael Buble
3. Lady Antebellum

Peace begins with pause,