If there is one song always associated with Christmas it surely is Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You”.
Somehow, even almost 25 years after its release the song is a staple of the winter holiday season and not just in the Western regions, but even here in India.
You can often hear new-age cafes and lounges in Delhi playing this song in the December month right before the Christmas holiday.
But more than anything, it was quite interesting when we came across an Indian girl’s rendition of this song in the form of sign language.
https://twitter.com/NyleDiMarco/status/1208464742659940357
The video of this Indian girl going by the username @dr.ush.yaya where she is seen singing the lyrics to Carey’s song was part of a challenge raised by actor Nyle DiMarco on his Twitter.
What Was This Challenge?
On 21st December, Nyle DiMarco posted on his Twitter a video where a person is using sign language to sing the lyrics of Carey’s song. He then challenged all of his followers to post a video signing that.
https://twitter.com/NyleDiMarco/status/1208430075688837120
This resulted in a long thread of people posting their videos on Instagram and Twitter with DiMarco eventually putting them all up on his Twitter.
DiMarco is himself a deaf actor, having acted in series like ‘Switched At Birth’, ‘America’s Next Top Model’, and ‘Difficult People’ and an activist who likes to bring awareness to deaf culture through his social media.
In the spirit to make the holiday season more inclusive DiMarco probably started this trend and now it has people from around the world not only copying DiMarco’s sign language but giving it their own regional translation.
All the way from India! pic.twitter.com/dfYlGz5Akn
— Nyle DiMarco (@NyleDiMarco) December 21, 2019
All I want for Christmas is you!
— Cintü V! (@CintuVe) December 23, 2019
From Rosario, Argentina 😘♥ pic.twitter.com/MTgIuUKHoZ
@NyleDiMarco Soy Colombia Sordo, Navidad pic.twitter.com/pdCtWLHNPR
— Chris Redfield ( RE9 ? ) (@Chris77Redfield) December 23, 2019
In Italian sign language! pic.twitter.com/WCpqTW8J7u
— Nyle DiMarco (@NyleDiMarco) December 21, 2019
hii greetings from a Swedish sign language interpreter (I put in the Swedish version for you as well).👋🏻 pic.twitter.com/aXmncpYExI
— emelie (@askonstig) December 21, 2019
Brazilian sign language I sign it! pic.twitter.com/GSrqCrI2ok
— vestibulando em pós-enem (@andp_l) December 21, 2019
I’m Deaf and I use Irish Sign Language but I’m willing to use ASL instead. Hope you loves it! 🙈🤟🏼 pic.twitter.com/RHV0GdrPyM
— ᴀʟᴇx (@queen_aniston) December 21, 2019
In another tweet DiMarco explained that he was doing this challenge to normalise sign language as “unfortunately more than 75% of hearing parents do not sign to communicate with their deaf child.”
Read More: “Adore You” Is Not Some Absurd Music Video But A Hit Sensation For The Hidden Meanings And Messages Inside It, Left For Listeners To Decode
The Reaction To This Challenge
Perhaps the best praise and reaction was from the original singer Mariah Carey herself who called this challenge ‘amazing’.
This is amazing!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️ https://t.co/9JCQsv5fhM
— Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey) December 23, 2019
Other people on Twitter have also reacted positively to it and commented on how it is working to not only create an inclusive challenge but also make people actually learn sign language.
It’s important to emphasize that while ASL is SO important for Deaf children, it is just as vital for other non-Deaf people/children who need it to communicate. Thank you for your message, Annie 💕 https://t.co/RBLnwyBecb
— liam (name sign: LJ) (@theljcoleman) December 23, 2019
The best challenge. I'm loving all the sign languages from across the world! Thanks for starting this, @NyleDiMarco , my Twitter feed is such a delight!! https://t.co/5cRagHp7BI
— Jaipreet Virdi (left bird site for bsky) (@jaivirdi) December 22, 2019
Can't decide what I love more about this thread: @NyleDiMarco 's continuing work to celebrate and normalize sign language or the multiple videos illustrating the national/regional differences in sign languages! https://t.co/jMTLzCiDcI
— Eterlin Blue (@BlueEterlin) December 21, 2019
Considering how iconic the song is, apparently having earned more than $60 million in royalties since its debut in 1994 as per a 2016 report by The Economist, it was a good decision to choose it.
Carey herself got a win this year with this song hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time ever.
But this challenge is certainly some good news in these turbulent times where people of all regions, cultures, countries come together to make the holiday season happy for people of all kinds.
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: Twitter, The Economic Times, CNN
Find the blogger @chirali_08