Mariah Carey’s Ultimate Christmas Guide: What She Thinks of Matching PJs, White Elephant Parties and More (Exclusive)

The Queen of Christmas talks about how she makes her holidays merry and bright.

Mariah Carey talked to PEOPLE about which holiday traditions she celebrates year after year that she considers “killer,” and which ones end up on her naughty list or get a “no.”

The pop superstar, who appears on PEOPLE’s latest digital cover, explains that — after the annual thaw — she’s starting to get into the spirit on Nov. 1, when she feels it’s appropriate to play holiday music.

Mariah Carey for PEOPLE.

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Throughout the season, the “All I Want For Christmas Is You” singer, 54, said she considers singing Christmas carols “murder” and embraces the Christmas holiday by drinking classic drinks like eggnog.

But cream isn’t exactly her No. 1 choice. “I have my black Irish that I like a lot more than that,” says the hitmaker, referring to her brand of Irish cream liqueur that’s inspired by her black and Irish heritage. “I’ll take a sip of eggnog now and then. I mean, because it’s eggnog. It’s Christmas.”

The Grammy winner herself may not be in the season to watch Hallmark’s holiday movies, but she knows that “people love them,” so she considers the holiday specials a bit of a murder. “We don’t want to take away things that people love,” she adds.

As for how the singer-songwriter likes to decorate halls, she has a lot of opinions. The “Touch My Body” singer admits she’s “not really a fan of fake trees,” but admits that “it’s all about how you decorate them and the love you bring to the room.”

Mariah Carey for PEOPLE.

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“I love popcorn wreaths,” Carey said of her love of seeing the evergreen plant decorated. “Slay – especially with cranberries and popcorn.”

Even the bottom of the tree comes into consideration. “[Tree skirts] it can be sweet,” suggests the R&B legend. “It’s all in the way they are zhuzhed. You have to zhuzh them properly.”

There’s one ornament that fans will never see adorning her Christmas centerpiece: “Sequins, no,” she says.

“I’m not really a fan of glitter,” reveals the pop icon. “But I don’t want to take that away from other people because it’s fun. He could throw it at people. It’s fun for a moment.”

The singer-songwriter also believes that any arrangement of the inflatable yard should be kept to a minimum. “If they have, like, cute lamb or something, it’s more for the pool. I would agree to that,” she offered as an alternative.

Mariah Carey for PEOPLE.

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As December 25 approaches, Carey wants to cozy up in matching pajamas. “I do it. I love it. I think it’s cute,” says the singer — who wore them alongside her 12-year-old twins, Moroccan and Monroe, in this year’s holiday campaign from The Children’s Place.

When it comes to gifts, Carey also has thoughts: gift cards are a negative (“I don’t think people like that anymore”), and underwear can definitely be a killer (“If people want it”). (She would know, because she starred in Victoria’s Secret’s annual Christmas campaign this year.)

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Also, Santa would rather deliver presents down the chimney than participate in the exchange of holiday parties. Of Secret Santa, she says, “Just like, why?”

And Rudolph’s red nose didn’t even put the tradition of giving a white elephant on her radar. “I don’t know about that white elephant gift party,” she admits.

Opening “one present on Christmas Eve,” however, she calls out, “So kill.”

Mariah Carey for PEOPLE.

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Before the “We Belong Together” artist starts celebrating at home, she’s busy rocking the Christmas tree on the road this year on her Merry Christmas One and All! tour. The live concert, in which the pop icon performs holiday classics and her own hits in a winter wonderland, kicked off on November 15 in Highland, California and will run through December 17 in New York.

In her PEOPLE digital cover story about her status as the Queen of Christmas, Carey revealed that this Christmas season feels extra special.

“I’ve been looking forward to this Christmas for a whole year,” she admitted.

For more from Mariah Carey, check out the latest digital issue of PEOPLE here.

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Source: HIS Education