A Christmas Wish Granted: Inside Mariah Carey’s Dazzling Vegas Residency

"It's TIIIIIMEEEE!"

Mariah Carey's Christmastime in Las Vegas residency opened Friday night and The Blast was there to experience every magical moment of it. From the holiday tunes to the hit songs we all know and love, to even a treat of a few new songs, Mariah didn't disappoint for a single moment. Holiday vibes all around, larger-than-life sets that had you feeling like you were transported to a festive land where sugarplum fairies are real, and glamourous attire as one would imagine lived in the singer's closet, this was more than a concert - it was an experience and an amazing moment in time.

Let me set the scene for you.

Dolby Live inside Park MGM on the Las Vegas Strip was transformed into something out of a holiday film even before Mariah stepped onto the stage. The red curtain with "MC" festively displayed set the vibe for the evening. The audience understood the assignment as everyone was wearing festive red outfits, Santa hats, and/or Mariah-inspired sparkly dresses or jackets.

There's no bad seat in Dolby Live. This was my second time at this venue - I saw New Kids on the Block there earlier this year. The stage is large, and the arena is on the smaller side, and the way the seating is, there is literally no bad seat. The arena was filled with all ages. I thought my 19-year-old son might end up being one of the youngest people in the room, but that thought quickly disappeared when I saw children as young as 5 or 6 there with Santa hats on ready to sing some tunes.

I've wanted to see Mariah perform live since childhood. I loved her the second she released her first song and that love has never died. I always said if I have the opportunity to see her live, I will no matter the cost. And that opportunity finally happened last night.

Of course, Mariah's entrance was nothing short of spectacular.

She started off the show with some well-known holiday tunes. After a few outfit changes - from one fabulous dress to another - she sang some of her biggest hits, such as "Fantasy," "Emotions," "Always Be My Baby," and "Hero."

She also belted out a few of her newest songs.

And let's talk about her backup singers, musicians, and dancers. Only one word comes to mind - AMAZING. Some of the dancers were young children, and they absolutely stole the show at times. When Mariah was changing into her next spectacular dress, they were entertaining the audience.

To see some clips of her Vegas show, visit my TikTok page.

This Vegas residency is short lived for Mariah. She's only performing 10 shows, and with last night's opening show in the books, it's down to only nine more chances to see her this year. Remaining dates: tonight (Nov. 29), Dec. 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, and 13. For tickets, visit Park MGM's website.

Shows begin at 8 p.m. with doors opening at 7 p.m. Of course, there's fabulous merch to check and purchase, as well as festive Mariah-inspired cocktails. And let's not forget some cool photo ops around Dolby Live and in Park MGM.

Mariah recently took to social media to share some clips of her Vegas residency rehearsals to get fans pumped and ready for an amazing night out.

The Instagram post shared about a week ago is captioned, "Can’t wait for Christmastime in Vegas," and it's captured tons of attention.

"See you soon, Queen!!!" one fan wrote. Another added, "See you there!" Her pop-up bar dropped into the comments to say, "We’re so ready!!"

Fans lucky enough to be in Las Vegas, New York City, Miami, or Los Angeles get the special treat of being able to visit Mariah's special holiday pop-up bar. For anyone going to the Vegas show, the holiday bar is directly across the casino from Dolby Live, making it a must-visit before or after the show.

The "Queen of Christmas" teamed up with Bucket Listers to launch Mariah Carey's Holiday Bar and offer a unique experience filled with photo ops and a "Mariahfied cocktail experience." Mariah's holiday tunes will fill the air, and there's lots of epic fun around every corner.

I didn't have a chance to visit the pop-up last night but I do have tickets for tonight, making this a weekend filled with Mariah Carey fun for me and I couldn't be more excited. Stay tuned for my pop-up bar experience.