Mariah Carey is "always spiritually ready" for Christmas.

The All I Want for Christmas Is You hitmaker's favourite time of the year is approaching and she explained that she looks forward to the festive season at all times.

Mariah told Interview magazine: "I'm always spiritually ready for Christmas even in the summer."

The Fantasy singer explained that she is "obsessed" with Christmas and stressed that her excitement for the festive season hasn't dimmed with age.

Mariah, 57, said: "I'm obsessed with Christmas.

"It's equal to when I was growing up and I loved Christmas."

The chart-topping star also revealed that she wants a canine gift this year.

Quizzed on what she wants for Christmas, Mariah replied: "A puppy."

Meanwhile, the five-time Grammy winner explained that she is currently fantasising over "really good candy".

She explained: "When I was having my Halloween moment, I was having that. Pour champagne and put a little bit of chocolate inside the glass. Yeah, it's good. Tasty treat."

Mariah's 1994 hit All I Want for Christmas Is You is an enduring track on annual festive playlists, but she recalled how she was "freezing" during the making of the music video for the song.

She told Allure last year: "I was so freezing (in my Santa suit.)

"It was definitely not chic and effortless."

Despite the cold temperature, Mariah has a fond attachment to her Santa Claus outfit.

She explained: "Someone asked me, 'Do you still have that one?' and I'm like, 'Yeah, I use the same one every year.'"

All I Want for Christmas Is You - the lead single from her album Merry Christmas - has broken several world records since its release and Mariah recalled the song's humble origins.

She said: "I started writing that on a little DX7 or Casio keyboard that was in this little room in the house that I lived in at the time in Upstate New York lifetimes ago.

"Just writing down everything that I thought about. All the things that reminded me of Christmas that made me feel festive that I wanted other people to feel."

Mariah's festive influence has extended around the world and she was honoured by Mattel creating a Barbie doll in her likeness in 2023.

She told People about the toy: "When I saw my doll, I was like, 'Oh my gosh, this is so cute.' Because it's based on the Christmas dress that I wear in the second All I Want for Christmas Is You video, which was directed by Joseph Kahn."