Here’s Why Mariah Carey Is Still the Undisputed Queen of Christmas After All These Years

Yes, we know Mariah Carey has denied being the "Queen of Christmas," but after taking one look at her long holiday catalog, which includes a Hallmark movie, a tour, and even an animated film, we think it's safe to say that the 47-year-old pop star rules December whether she likes it or not. Her ascent to the throne started more than 20 years ago when she released her first Christmas album, Merry Christmas, in 1994. Back then, pop stars didn't release Christmas albums, so Mariah and her team set the bar pretty low on how successful they anticipated the album to be. But of course, we all know how that story ends. "All I Want for Christmas Is You" is still the No. 1 holiday song, and Mariah has been riding the coattails of its success for decades.

Although Whitney Houston once tried to follow in her footsteps, and current singers like Gwen Stefani are trying to come for Mariah's crown, none of them have come close to Mariah's hit. The whole thing is a bit of an anomaly, even to "All I Want for Christmas Is You" songwriter, Walter Afanasieff.

"Everyone is trying to get a Christmas song," he said back in 2014. "But for whatever reason, 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' just became that song. It’s kind of something you never would have thought, and you can’t really explain why, and we feel lucky, because it was the last major song to enter that Christmas canon, and then the door slammed shut. It just closed."

Today, Mariah continues to profit off the track, releasing a movie, a children's book, and even a line of Christmas candy around it! Below, see more crazy ways Mariah remains the undisputed holiday queen.