by Michael Bialas

Created on: November 21, 2009

The Fox network is wishing you the home television viewer a very Carrie Christmas. And they're gift-wrapping two hours of entertainment in a special package titled "Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special that will air December 7 (8-10 p.m. ET/PT).

Of course, Fox, the network that brings you American Idol, has the gift that keeps on giving with Underwood. The country vixen from Checotah, Oklahoma, who broke through to national fame by winning the fourth season of A.I., has reason to be in the holiday spirit.

Her third album, Play On, was released November 3 (19 Recordings/Arista Nashville) and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and she's making all the talk show rounds this week, from Conan O'Brien on Monday to Ellen Degeneres and Jimmy Kimmel (Thursday).

Last week, she completed her second straight stint co-hosting the Country Music Association Awards show with Brad Paisley, performing "Cowboy Casanova" in hot pants, one of her 10 costume changes, cracking jokes, and taking a not-so-subtle shot at Taylor Swift nemesis Kanye West ("Brad's idea," Underwood said on The Tonight Show).

If only those Grinches disguised as tabloid gossips weren't around to spill the eggnog. Underwood, during a Monday conference call to promote her special, took time to set the record straight when asked about the ending of the very entertaining CMAs last week.

"I just want to say that was really hurtful," Underwood said of tabloid reports and Internet gossip that she was miffed with Swift's runaway success that night and interrupted Paisley's closing comments in order to turn the spotlight back on herself. "My brain would never operate that way at all. I have so much respect for every single person that is in that room. Whether they're, I mean 'cause most of the people there are in the music industry. They are part of it. I would never dream of doing anything like that."

Underwood, 26, only received two CMA nominations this year, but had the chance to win Female Vocalist of the Year for the fourth consecutive time. The streak ended as the 19-year-old Swift won en route to sweeping all four categories in which she was nominated, including Entertainer of the Year. She became the first woman since Shania Twain in 1999 to capture the CMA's most prestigious honor. Swift's all-male competition included Underwood's co-host, along with Kenny Chesney, George Strait and Keith Urban.

At the end of the show, Underwood is seen hugging Swift in the background as Paisley takes center stage

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