US Government Tells Mariah Carey She Can’t Be ‘Queen of Christmas’

The holiday season is here, which means that Mariah Carey’s popular, chart-topping “All I Want For Christmas Is You” will be heard everywhere in the coming weeks. But, although Carey’s Christmas tunes may be a hallmark of the season for many, her petition to officially be the “Queen of Christmas” was denied by the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board on Tuesday.

In March 2021, Carey’s legal team actually filed a request to trademark the decorated singer as “Queen of Christmas,” CBS News reported.

She not only wanted to officially use the name, but Carey also wanted to use the title for her other products such as music recordings, clothing lines, perfume, eyewear, and other products associated with the singer, CBS reported.

But, there was controversy over Carey claiming this title, officially.

Musician Elizabeth Chan filed a formal, legal opposition against the trademark petition. She too laid claim to the “Queen of Christmas” title and even had an album named that, People reported.

Chan said she didn’t want the title of “Queen of Christmas” belonging to Carey in any sort of official capacity because the holiday season is for everyone, not a specific brand or singer.

“The kind of music and the Christmas culture that allowed [Carey] and me to be a ‘Queen of Christmas’ is what I wanted to offer to generations after we’re long gone. Whether it’s grandmothers baking cookies or Etsy sellers or Christmas movies, it takes a lot of people to help usher in the season, and for one person to outrightly own that is wrong,” Chan told the Washington Post.

Darlene Love, another musician, now 81 years old, who made some popular Christmas music, also opposed Carey’s petition, although it is not clear whether she took official legal action as Chan did, People reported.

“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!!” Love noted in a Facebook post in August.

The U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board denied Carey’s petition and Chan announced the news in a release, CBS reported.

“Christmas is a season of giving, not the season of taking, and it is wrong for an individual to attempt to own and monopolize a nickname like ‘Queen of Christmas’ for the purposes of abject materialism. As an independent artist and small business owner, my life’s work is to bring people together for the holiday season, which is how I came to be called the ‘Queen of Christmas.’ I wear that title as a badge of honor and with full knowledge that it will be — and should be — bestowed on others in the future,” Chan noted in the release, according to CBS.

With the U.S. Trademark’s rejection of Carey’s request, that means the use of “Queen of Christmas” can be used by anyone “whether it’s in the privacy of their own home-and-hearth or for professional purposes,” Variety noted.

With the news of Carey’s petition and its subsequent rejection spreading across social media, many have commented on the nature of her popularity during the Christmas season.

Some seem to love Carey, others, not so much.

“She is. Regardless of what you say,” one user tweeted in response to the news.