The self-proclaimed “Queen of Christmas,” Mariah Carey has become synonymous with the holiday season – even moreso in recent years, thanks to her annual November 1 social media post that never fails to go viral. This year, for instance, the Queen was freed from a block of ice by a group of Halloween-masked minions.

Now, fresh Christmas songs are nothing new. They pop up from a variety of artists and genres every year. Mariah Carey, however, did something special with “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” While most Christmas tunes considered “classics” date back to the 50s and 60s, Carey’s certified classic hit the airwaves in 1994.

In many homes, “All I Want for Christmas” is held in the same regard as “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby (1947) and “Blue Christmas” by Elvis Presley (1957), despite being released several decades later.

With that level of Christmas clout, Mariah Carey’s holiday opinions carry a great deal of weight. So when she revealed her favorite Christmas song of all time on Wednesday, fans around the world were on pins and needles to learn which one the Queen would choose.

A true Christmas connoisseur, Carey’s favorite is not one of her own! Instead, it’s the Christmas song. More specifically, Nat King Cole’s version of “The Christmas Song.”

“My favorite all-time Christmas song is Nat King Cole’s version of [The] Christmas Song — that’s my favorite,” the singer revealed on Wednesday’s episode of The Jennifer Hudson Show. “That was my grandmother’s favorite.”

Mariah Carey is ‘Obsessed’ With Christmas

Mariah Carey’s Christmas “obsession” is no real surprise. After all, she wouldn’t be the true Queen of Christmas if she was only lukewarm on the holiday. Her Christmas obsession goes a bit further than most, however. The singer revealed that she doesn’t “let anybody listen to anything but Christmas music” once the clock strikes 12 on November 1st. Even the “movies have to be Christmas-related,” she added.

Mariah Carey’s favorite Christmas movie? “Well, I love Elf. I gotta say that,” Carey said. “And then I like Miracle on 34th Street, the original one. It’s an older one, but it’s got something about it.”

But, of course, Carey’s holiday cheer doesn’t stop with the entertainment. She ensures the halls are thoroughly decked as well. “In the main part of the house, there will be a nice, tall Christmas tree with gold and silver — not actual gold,” the singer explained. “Then I have a smaller multicolored-lights tree, like the Charlie Brown tree, with some ornaments that my fans made for me and different stuff like that.”

As for the Christmas feast, there are two in the Carey household. Once on Christmas Eve Eve and another on Christmas Day. “I cook Italian food on the 23rd, because my father had a recipe for linguine with white clam sauce that he left for me before he passed away. It’s very good,” she said. “I make that and some other things.” 

“I do a traditional Christmas dinner, and I help. I’m not there doing everything alone. I’m not gonna say that. But I do add a little bit of seasoning,” she added with a laugh.