First Published: December 20, 2013 4:15 PM EST Credit: Access Hollywood
Caption Mariah Carey chats with Access Hollywood on December 19, 2013
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Mariah Carey is beaming about spending the holidays with her family – especially her twins Moroccan and Monroe.
Now that Mariah and Nick Cannon’s twins are two-and-a-half years old, they are much more aware of the holidays – something the 43-year-old is excited about.
“This is the first time they’re really getting that Christmas is an event that they are going to receive gifts,” the singer told Access Hollywood’s Michelle Beadle, when she met with foster kids this week at an event with Children’s Aid Society.
WATCH: Mariah Carey Brings Holiday Cheer To NYC Foster Kids
Mariah said that her daughter is already developing a taste for something close to her own heart.
“[She wants my] necklace, my diamonds,” she said, explaining that daughter Monroe is enamored by her bling.
“I said, ‘This is mommy’s. You know who bought this for mommy? Mommy. You know how long it took mommy to get it? A really, really long time yeah,’” Mariah laughed.
WATCH: Mariah Carey Dishes On All I Want For Christmas Is You
And what about little Monroe getting her own jewelry?
“I don’t know if she can hold it up,” the singer said of her necklace. “She’ll get some little ruby earrings or something, darling please.”
In fact, this holiday the singer said she and Nick will be focusing just on the kids.
“We always do really fun tricky things for each other for Christmas, and this year, I’m just like, ‘Let’s make it about the babies,’” she said. “Now they see the tree and they light up. They’re so excited… it’s amazing for me to watch and to relive.”
WATCH: Mariah Carey: How Will She Celebrate Christmas With Her Children?
But just because Moroccan and Monroe have superstar parents doesn’t mean Christmas morning will be an avalanche of gifts.
“I want to do presents for the kids, but I don’t want to do an enormity of presents with the kids. It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just that I don’t think that they’re going to get it [and] understand what it means this year,” she told Michelle. “They need to appreciate one or two or three gifts.”
-- Jesse Spero
Copyright 2013 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
