Mariah Carey has opened up about her plans for the holidays this year and revealed the family traditions she keeps up every Christmas. 

The diva – who has adopted the title of Queen Of Christmas thanks to the success of her 1994 classic, All I Want For Christmas Is You – says she tries to keep her festive plans secret until everything is “set”. 

In an interview with People, she explains: “I keep that part as secret as possible until we get everything set.

“It’s just one of those things I do every year, where I make everybody wait to play Christmas music until I’m ready to take it in and feel like, ‘OK, now it’s time for the holidays.'”

Adding that she and her 12-year-old twins. Monroe and Moroccan, celebrate the season “a little bit differently than most people”, she says: “We have our traditions, like rolling in the snow, jumping in the hot tubs – stuff that most people don’t do, but it’s just that we’re all kind of daredevils. 

“We also sit and play games, like Heads Up! or Taboo. For the past four years, I’ve been trying to make my traditional Christmas meals, like my dad’s recipe for linguini and clam sauce. 

“I like to make sure Monroe and Rocky come in and cook with me.”