Mariah Carey tells Naomi Campbell of her childhood Christmas heartbreak

Mariah Carey has opened up about her unhappy childhood Christmas memories.

The diva revealed on Naomi Campbell's YouTube show No Filter that her love for Christmas stems from pain in her younger years and that having 'All I Want For Christmas' reach number one on the US charts last year was a full circle moment.

"I was a sad kid that wanted Christmas to be great," the singer said. "I wanted a real family that cared about me. I wanted them to care and I wanted them not to ruin it and they ruined it every year."

And it was something the supermodel could identify with, saying: "I loved going to my school friends' homes because, to me, they had the perfect family and my mother was away, my dad I didn't really know, so I loved that."

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The hit singer hinted at tension with her family when asked about her upbringing, where she was born and grew up.

"So, in the tradition of the Tooth Fairy and Santa Clause, I was never born and here I am," she laughed.

Carey also revealed her fans made her feel loved and worthy in the absence of a real family.

"That is the one thing I never had — a real caring, loving family. I hate to say that, it's horrible to say but I'm just being real. It is what it is."

Mariah also recalled the moment she learned her hit Christmas carol finally reached the top of the US charts last year — 25 years after is was first released.

"I was in Aspen and I was there in the house ... I was looking at the Christmas tree and I felt at peace. I was like 'this is an incredible moment'," she said.

"Look, it had been on the Holiday Charts for years and years and I wasn't like 'ohh it has to go number one on the regular charts', I wasn't focused on it, but the lambs, my fans, the greatest people on Earth, were so diligent about really making sure 'hey, we're going to make this number one', and it counts because it never went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

"So, in the midst of all the new young, hot artists and their hits that were happening at that moment, it broke through and that's the power of the song. "

During the 45-minute interview, the singer touched on her recent memoir The Meaning of Mariah Carey as well as her upcoming Christmas special on Apple TV.

Carey revealed they had started working on the special pre-COVID but she's even more excited now to be able to bring some festive cheer after an "awful" year.

"I know people are like 'you love Christmas' and they make fun of me but it's okay because I do. I actually do. It's what I love."