Mariah Carey Attempts to Trademark Queen of Christmas

Mariah Carey desires to trademark the title “Queen of Christmas,” however a number of different reigning vacation icons assume she’s going too far with the authorized effort.

The drama started when Carey, recognized for her iconic single “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” filed for the trademark in March 2021, although the submitting solely turned public on July 12, per the trademark application, which is viewable online. It would apply to a variety of items, from fragrances to jewellery, glassware, clothes, and (unsurprisingly) Christmas ornaments.

In response, Elizabeth Chan, who solely sings Christmas music and whose most up-to-date album was known as “The Queen of Christmas,” spoke out strongly in opposition to Carey’s efforts. “Christmas has come approach earlier than any of us on earth, and hopefully might be round approach after any of us on earth,” she mentioned to Variety on Aug. 15. “And I really feel very strongly that nobody individual ought to maintain onto something round Christmas or monopolize it in the way in which that Mariah seeks to in perpetuity. That’s simply not the correct factor to do. Christmas is for everybody. It’s meant to be shared; it is not meant to be owned.”

Chan went on to additional critique Carey: “It’s not simply in regards to the music enterprise,” she mentioned. “She’s attempting to trademark this in each conceivable approach — clothes, liquor merchandise, masks, canine collars — it is everywhere in the map. If you knit a ‘queen of Christmas’ sweater, you need to be ready to promote it on Etsy to any person else to allow them to purchase it for his or her grandma. It’s loopy — it could have that breadth of registration.” (Carey’s trademark, if authorised, would solely apply to the lessons of items specified within the software.)

Chan is asking that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) reject Carey’s request, a rep for Chan informed POPSUGAR, and filed a proper opposition on Aug. 11. “Nobody ought to personal Christmas,” she shared in an announcement, per the rep. “Christmas is supposed to be shared and is for everybody. All I need is the correct to proceed working and proceed my legacy in Christmas music as a result of it is what I like. I’ve devoted greater than a decade of my life to writing and producing solely Christmas music. The title of ‘Queen of Christmas’ has been bestowed upon me as a result of of that cause. Others akin to Brenda Lee and Darlene Love have additionally shared the title. Anyone who is not even born but — they need to be free to be known as that, so long as there may be Christmas.” Carey is required to reply to the opposition or withdraw her trademark by Sept. 20. Regardless, Carey’s software will want to be reviewed and authorised by the USPTO.

Fellow Christmas music maven Darlene Love additionally took challenge with Carey’s try. “Is it true that Mariah Carey trademarked ‘Queen of Christmas’?” Love wrote in an Aug. 15 Facebook post. “What does that imply, that I am unable to use that title? David Letterman formally declared me the Queen of Christmas 29 years in the past, a 12 months earlier than she launched ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You,’ and at 81 years of age I’m NOT altering something. I’ve been within the enterprise for 52 years, have earned it and might nonetheless hit these notes! If Mariah has an issue name David or my lawyer!!” Love has been related to Christmas music for many years, singing a number of songs on the traditional 1963 Christmas album “A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector” and showing yearly on “Late Night With David Letterman” to sing “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” between 1986 and 2014.

Carey herself has even denounced the title “Queen of Christmas” earlier than, so it is not clear the place her sudden transfer to trademark the time period got here from. “That was different folks, and I simply need to humbly say that I do not think about myself that,” Carey informed the BBC’s “The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show” relating to the title again in 2021. “‘I’m somebody that loves Christmas, that occurred to be blessed to write ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You.’ And so much of different Christmas songs. And let’s face it, you understand, everyone’s religion is what it’s. But to me, Mary is the Queen of Christmas.”

Reps for Carey and Love didn’t instantly reply to POPSUGAR’s requests for remark, and Carey has not but publicly addressed the trademark effort.