Mariah Carey listens to Christmas music "24 hours a day" over the festive season.

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey

The 48-year-old singer spends the holiday in Aspen with loved ones including her seven-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe - who she has with ex-husband Nick Cannon - and she wants her guests to fully embrace the celebration and tries to make it "fun for everybody".

She said: "Once I start listening to Christmas music, that's it.

"Everybody who is with me in Aspen, they have to listen to Christmas music 24 hours a day.

"Christmas is very important to me. I try to make it fun for everybody - I literally have Santa Claus out there and real reindeer. I'm not making this up!"

And the 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' hitmaker loves choosing thoughtful gifts for her friends and family.

She said: "The only time I go shopping is for Christmas. I wait to go to Aspen and I do it there. I don't even like shopping for myself but I like shopping for other people."

But Mariah doesn't ask for much in return.

She quipped in a recent interview: "Well, if they can't do diamonds they can just write me a nice card and call it a day."

It's been 24 years since Mariah released 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' but she never gets tired of the festive track.

She said: "It still reminds me how much I love Christmas. I wrote a song that, thankfully, people like to listen to in the holidays.

"I used to pick it apart every time I listened to it but now I just get festive. My kids love it too."