It’s October 31, and you know what that means: it’s time! Ushered in by Mariah Carey’s annual defrosting, midnight tonight marks the start of the holiday season, when we can finally start listening to Christmas music, but why should Mariah Carey, the so-called “Queen of Christmas,” be the one to dictate when we start spreading Christmas cheer? What has she done to earn the title?
Sure, everybody knows “All I Want for Christmas is You.” But can most people name Carey’s other original Christmas songs, let alone point out that she’s released just two Christmas albums in 35 years of making music? Two in 35 years, and people still somehow call her the queen. Ridiculous.
“AIWFCIY” is a 31-year-old song that is overrated, overplayed and exhausting to listen to. One song is not nearly enough for her to lay claim to the throne.
Even the government agrees, seeing as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rejected Carey’s attempt to trademark the phrase “Queen of Christmas” for use in her merchandise back in 2021, officially making her NOT the queen of Christmas. The rejection came because another artist, Elizabeth Chan, filed against Carey, since she has similarly used “Queen of Christmas” in her branding. Honestly though, Chan isn’t the queen either.
She’s definitely a stronger candidate than Mariah Carey, given that she has released a new Christmas album each year since 2011, but she hasn’t seen much success. Her music just isn’t iconic; it doesn’t fill me with the same holiday cheer that other Christmas songs do.
I appreciate Chan’s efforts, though. She’s the only artist I know that exclusively makes Christmas music, and has kept that tradition for over a decade, but until Chan or Carey can capture Christmas like Bing Crosby did with “White Christmas,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “Silver Bells” and “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” then neither of them is fit to wear the crown.
Let’s stop pretending like Mariah Carey has any reign over the season. If I want to listen to Christmas carols in August, I’m going to. I will not kneel before a false queen.
