“Masked Singer” winner Nick Lachey gets into the holiday spirit and Rita Ora returns in exclusive season 12 finale clip

Ho, ho, ho! The Masked Singer season 12 finale airs this Wednesday, and Entertainment Weekly has the holly-jolly exclusive sneak peek.

In the clip, below, season 5 winner, Piglet a.k.a. Nick Lachey (who, it should be noted, was also the Masked Ambassador to this season's finalists, Buffalo) returns to the stage to ring in the holiday season with a joyful rendition of Andy Williams' "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year." Since this is The Masked Singer, Lachey is joined by backup dancers dressed as faceless peppermint candies and nightmare-inducing yetis during the performance, which is set against fake falling snow and a beautiful festive backdrop.

Related: The Masked Singer season 12 reveals: See every unmasked celebrity contestant

The clip also shows that panelist Rita Ora, who missed last week's episode due to an unnamed illness, is back in action for the season finale. While Lachey performs on stage, Ora and fellow panelists Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, and Robin Thicke, plus host Nick Cannon, gather around a Masked Singer-themed Christmas tree to exchange gifts and good tidings.

The finale promises to be an epic final battle between Wasp and Buffalo. Per the episode's official synopsis: "The final two are ready to pull out all the stops for the most coveted award in all of entertainment, the Golden Mask Trophy! They will bring the house down with showstopping performances of 'When I Was Your Man,' 'Somebody That I Used to Know,' 'I’m Your Baby Tonight' and 'Too Good at Goodbyes.'"

Related: The Masked Singer surprises with new format, and reveals Goo as NFL star in quarterfinals

Tune-in to see who will be unmasked as the season 12 winner and runner-up in the all-new “Finale: A Champion Is Crowned” season-finale episode of The Masked Singer airing Wednesday, Dec. 18, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Fox.

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And, get ready for an all-new group of disguised celebrities to take the stage in season 13, which the network has announced will premiere in the new year on Feb. 12.

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