Dolly Parton won't compete with Mariah Carey to be Christmas queen: 'I'm happy to be second in line to her'

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The holiday season is rapidly approaching, and a new debate has erupted over who the true "Queen of Christmas" is, Dolly Parton or Mariah Carey.

Parton recently appeared on the cover of Better Homes & Gardens magazine and discussed whether she thinks she deserves the "Queen of Christmas" title more than Carey. Both musicians have been open about their love of the holiday and have shown it through their music and other ventures.

When asked if she considers herself worthy of the title over Carey, Parton said she is not interested in competing with the "Always Be My Baby" singer and is content letting her win that battle.

"Now, don't you say that! I'm not going to compete with Mariah," Parton said. "I love her. You think of Christmas, you think of Mariah. I'm happy to be second in line to her."

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Dolly Parton has no interest in competing with Mariah Carey for the "Queen of Christmas" title. (Getty Images)

Many fans associate Carey with Christmas due to her No. 1 hit single "All I Want for Christmas is You," which continues to reach the top of the charts every year around the holidays despite being released in 1994. It is the only Christmas song to win the Recording Industry Association of America Diamond Award.

Many on social media joke every year when December rolls around that Mariah season has officially begun. The five-time Grammy winner also recently announced she will be hosting a two-hour holiday special on CBS and Paramount +, "Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to All!," which will feature performances of some of her biggest hits.

While Parton doesn't have one specific song associated with her and Christmas, she has definitely shown her love for the holiday throughout her career. In 1984, she released a Christmas LP with Kenny Rogers called "Once Upon a Christmas," followed by another in 1990 called "Home for Christmas" releasing a third in 2020 called "A Holly Dolly Christmas."

Parton has also filmed six Christmas movies, including "Christmas on the Square," "Christmas at Dollywood," "Unlikely Angel" and "A Country Christmas Story." Her latest Christmas movie, "Dolly Parton's Mountain Magic Christmas" is set to debut in December 2022.

Parton has been in six Christmas movies, including "Unlikely Angel." (CBS via Getty Images)

Claiming the title of "Queen of Christmas" got Carey in hot water in March 2021, when she tried to file for a trademark to exclusively be known as the official queen. Singers Elizabeth Chan and Darlene Love contested Carey's claim, arguing they are the true titleholders, taking legal action to prevent the trademark from moving forward.

"Christmas has come way before any of us on earth and hopefully will be around way after any of us on earth," Chan told Variety at the time. "And I feel very strongly that no one person should hold onto anything around Christmas or monopolize it in the way that Mariah seeks to in perpetuity. That's just not the right thing to do. Christmas is for everyone. It's meant to be shared; it's not meant to be owned."

Parton treasures memories of Christmastime during her childhood, explaining her family had very little money, but her mother always worked hard to make the holidays a special time for them. 

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She says she works just as hard to make the holiday just as special for the children in her family now, saying she even dresses up as Santa Claus and comes up the elevator as if it were the chimney. She goes by "Granny Clause."

"It's got the flames and everything," Parton added. "I get in my Santa suit, and I got my Santa bags with their presents in it. And I come down the 'chimney.'"

Dolly Parton has started her own traditions with her family, including dressing up as Santa Claus. (Virginia Sherwood/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)

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Parton also celebrates Christmas at her theme park, Dollywood. This year, the theme is Smoky Mountain Christmas and will feature over 6 million twinkle lights decorating the park, holiday shows such as "Christmas in the Smokies" and "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and a fireworks display.