The song "Where Are You Christmas?" originates from the 2000 film Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas , where it was written by Mariah Carey, James Horner, and Will Jennings. In the movie, a shorter version titled "Christmas, Why Can't I Find You?" is performed by Taylor Momsen as Cindy Lou Who. The full pop version, with additional lyrics by Carey, was originally recorded by her but not released due to legal issues with her ex-husband Tommy Mottola; it was instead re-recorded and popularized by Faith Hill on the film's soundtrack, released December 11, 2000.
Song Composition
The track is a power ballad in B♭ major at a slow 56 BPM tempo, featuring Faith Hill's vocals spanning nearly two octaves from F3 to E♭5. It explores themes of lost holiday spirit amid personal change, shifting from melancholy to triumphant joy in the bridge, which Carey conceived while driving to a session with Horner.
Release and Legacy
Faith Hill's rendition charted on the Billboard Holiday 100, peaking at number 15 in 2013 and appearing annually through the 2010s, though it never entered the main Hot 100. A music video features Hill singing on the Grinch's mountaintop, with film clips and a cameo by Momsen. Carey has performed it live in later years, but her original studio version remains unreleased.
