Critics have noted the song's 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s influences which, in conjunction with Carey's voice and its simple melody, heralded its recipe for success. In discussing the song's chord progression and stylistic approaches, "Slate's" Ragusea hailed the song as "the only Christmas song written in the last half-century worthy of inclusion in the Great American Songbook." "The A.V. Club"s Annie Zaleski attributes the song's enduring appeal to its ambiguity in being able to pin it down as belonging to a specific era.