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At this point, Mariah Carey is pretty much synonymous with Christmastime. She’s responsible for the ubiquitous holiday anthem “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and for bringing joy and cheer to millions of people during the winter months. But what are the holidays like for the singer herself? Here’s how she likes to celebrate, her plans for the 2020 season, and more.

Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey during an interview in December 2020 | NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

The holiday season is important to Mariah Carey

Carey’s love for the holidays stems from her troubled upbringing, which included a fractured family unit and money struggles.

“I think it’s just that longing that I had as a child, that I always wanted things to be perfect for the holidays. And they never were,” she told Elle in an interview published online on Dec. 1. “It was always somebody ruining the moment, always these dysfunctional family members who came around and foiled everything.”

“And so I just made a pact with myself that I wasn’t going to allow that to happen anymore. After I kind of emerged from my first relationship-slash-marriage, I created the Christmases that I wanted to have,” she continued, referencing her marriage to Tommy Mottola.

How Mariah Carey likes to celebrate Christmas

Speaking to BuzzFeed in 2015, Carey said she likes to celebrate in a relaxed environment with her loved ones — especially her 9-year-old twins, daughter Monroe and son Moroccan, whom she shares with ex-husband Nick Cannon.

“My favorite Christmas gift is to have a relaxed Christmas and to give gifts,” she told the outlet. “I love giving gifts. It’s almost like I don’t open my gifts until, like, three days after Christmas, ‘cause I want to give everyone else their presents. Especially now having my own little babies, it’s all about them.” 

She also enjoys cooking and baking for her family. “I cook on the 23rd, 24th, and 25th — all different menus,” she told GQ Magazine. “One of them is one of my father’s recipes. Before he passed away, he left me this recipe that I like to make every year on Christmas Eve.” 

“Then on Christmas, we do a traditional meal,” she continued, noting she makes turkey as the main dish. “You have to know what you’re doing to make a turkey. You can’t poison people. I’m not going to lie, I typically have a sous chef there, but I do have a very specific menu,” she continued.

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So what are Mariah Carey’s 2020 holiday plans?

Carey told Good Morning America earlier in December that the holiday season will look different due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. But she said she still intends to celebrate — safely, of course. “We’re being very careful and it’s been tough, but I have to say, I’m really proud of the kids for adapting and all of us for adapting,” she said.

She didn’t get into specifics. But knowing the way she likes to celebrate, it seems likely she’ll be following her usual holiday traditions.

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