Zooey Deschanel has joked she's coming for Mariah Carey's title of the Queen of Christmas.

The 45-year-old actress - who played Jovie opposite Will Ferrell in Elf - stars in new festive film Merv, while her She and Him band released A Very She and Him Christmas and Christmas Party in 2011 and 2016 respectively.

Speaking to E! News, she quipped: "Look, I'm just -- I'm just stating facts here. I have two Christmas movies out and two Christmas records.

"Does Mariah have two Christmas movies? I'm just wondering."

Mariah has had the title Queen of Christmas bestowed on her by the public thanks to her 1994 anthem All I Want For Christmas Is You, and Zooey insisted she's happy to concede any claim to the moniker.

She added: "No, I love Mariah. She is the Queen of Christmas."

Pop icon Mariah previously insisted insisted that she isn't particularly hard to please at Christmas because she always appreciates the thought and effort people go to in order to buy a gift they think she will like.

Asked if she thinks she is an easy person to buy a gift for, she told Zoe Ball on BBC Radio 2: "I think so because it's really the thought that counts.

"I mean, I know that sounds cliché, but it's true. If somebody takes time out of their day, and goes and gets you something, that's a big deal."

Mariah famously releases a video each year, typically after Halloween, titled It's Time, which signifies she is ready to get in the festive spirit.

And Mariah admitted the clips are often a whole year in the making.

She said: "I mean, I start thinking about the next year's one after the current year's comes out.

"I mean I just love it, I really do, it's so much fun. Honestly, my whole life I've just loved Christmas so much. It's amazing."