The debate around crowning the official “Queen of Christmas” has been a hot topic as well as a sought-after title for many years. After the iconic Queen of Christmas “nominee” Mariah Carey was said to be “defrosting,” the other contenders for the title came back into the spotlight. 

Mariah Carey came to Christmas fame after producing the hit Christmas song “All I Want for Christmas is You” in 1994. Since then, she has composed many songs that can be heard across the country during the holiday season. This week, “All I Want for Christmas is You” is second on the Billboard Top 100 and has over one billion streams on Spotify according to Statista.

Other than her Christmas music, Carey’s singles have topped the Billboard charts since 1990 with 19 songs that reached number one, 18 of which were not holiday music. Up until 2020, she had been releasing songs that have made the top 100 for 30 years.

Carey petitioned to trademark the brand “Queen of Christmas” in March of 2021 but was unsuccessful due to the opposition of fellow Christmas music artist Elizabeth Chan. Her objection sparked animosity between the two artists. Chan explained why she disapproved of the trademark in an interview with “Variety.” 

“Everyone’s very focused on the win, and very focused on Mariah, but I feel it’s really important for people to understand my motivation in this was to really protect and save Christmas for generations after us,” Chan expressed. “I always thought about the future of Christmas music and wanting to protect the genre to allow other artists like me to shepherd in Christmas music without anything in their way. It was very important for me to try to save it in this way not just for generations after me, but for the people that have come before me. There’s no reason why Brenda Lee or Darlene Love or I should get sued or cease-and-desisted for doing what we’ve loved, right?”

As the people leading the debate are young adults, Millennials and Generation Z, older Christmas stars have been overshadowed by producers like Mariah Carey. 

The soul and R&B artist who claims she was dubbed the Queen of Christmas by David Letterman, Darlene Love has been making Christmas music since her song “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” was produced in 1963. Love has been making hit holiday music since before Carey was born. 

“Is it true that Mariah Carey trademarked ‘Queen of Christmas’?” Love asked on Facebook. “What does that mean, that I can’t use that title? David Letterman officially declared me the Queen of Christmas 29 years ago, a year before she released ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You,’ and at 81 years of age I’m NOT changing anything. I’ve been in the business for 52 years, have earned it and can still hit those notes! If Mariah has a problem call David or my lawyer!!”

As the title remains free, the debate lives on through public opinion and leans towards one artist. 

“Mariah Carey,” Sage Creek junior Liam Walker, a Christmas enthusiast, responded when asked who the Queen of Christmas is.

 “If you think of the songs that encompass the Christmas spirit, most people would first think of Mariah Carey songs,” Sage Creek sophomore Alexander “AJ” Bermudez explained.

It seems as though the title started with Love, then somewhere over time it was passed down to Carey as she came to fame. If that trend continues, then a new Queen of Christmas may come about every 30 years, and the controversy will go on. 

“Mariah Carey and Kelly Clarkson are the queens of Christmas because they are worldwide icons and have super popular holiday songs,” Sage Creek freshman and year-round Christmas celebrator Kira Ford affirms. 

Kelly Clarkson is a well-known artist who writes both Christmas and many other genres of music. She has topped the Billboard charts three times and has 11 songs that were in the top 10. While she is famous and composes great Christmas music, she has not reached Mariah Carey’s level of fame just yet.

“I think that it should be replaced regularly by whoever is like, the queen of Christmas,” Walker explains. “Right now, it’s Mariah Carey, but it could change. We could have a new Christmas song. ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’ isn’t going to be the quintessential Christmas song forever.”

Anyone can pick an artist and designate them as the “Queen of Christmas,” but as of now, Mariah Carey has the spotlight.