Elvis Presley: How Many Christmases Did He Celebrate at Graceland?
Elvis Presley purchased Graceland in 1957. The stately Memphis home was the center of the holiday season for the King of Rock and Roll, his family, and friends. But did Elvis spend every Christmas at Graceland?
Elvis Presley and his Graceland Christmases
The holiday season was of great importance to Elvis Presley. He loved this time, spending the season with his family and friends.
Elvis found the holidays to be therapeutic. Christmas was when Elvis’ giving spirit was on full display, and he enjoyed showering those he loved with presents and attention.
However, despite his love for the holiday season, there were times when Elvis did not spend Christmas at Graceland. In fact, out of the 20 years he spent living in the home, he missed three holidays there.
In 1957, Elvis spent his first Christmas at Graceland after moving there in June. However, just five days before Christmas, Elvis received his draft notice from the United States Army. He was inducted on March 20, 1958.
Elvis spent his first Christmas without his mother and away from Graceland in 1958. His holiday was shared with his father Vernon Presley grandmother Minnie Mae Presley, and friends, at the Hotel Grunewald in Germany.
In 1959, Elvis was still in the Army. This was his first holiday with Priscilla Beaulieu, whom he met just months earlier. He enjoyed the day at his rented home on Goethetrasse in Germany.
By 1960 Elvis was back home at Graceland. However, just one year later, he was away from Memphis once again, spending the holiday season with friends at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas.
Thereafter, Elvis spent every Christmas at Graceland until 1976, his last holiday. In August 1977, he died at 42.
Elvis’ cousin recalls ‘magical’ Christmas and the gift that cost nothing
Elvis Presley’s cousin Billy Smith recalled in a video for Elvis Fans Matter that the holiday season at Graceland was a magical time of year. However, he recalled one Christmas when the most memorable Christmas didn’t cost Elvis a cent.
“I think one of my most memorable Christmases was in 1965, it was snowing. They said it was 50 years since it had snowed on Christmas Eve and it was beautiful, golly,” Billy said. “We watched it snow for a while and Elvis told everybody, ‘Don’t go out on the lawn, I don’t want footprints out there!”
“Later, we walked down to the curb and looked at it. He said, ‘Man this is so pretty, don’t y’all think? I’ve always liked snow. I thought I got enough of it in Germany,'” Billy continued. “Just the look on his face, he went to clowning around, he said, ‘See I told you all I could do it, make it snow at Christmas!’”
Elvis wanted those he loved to take care of their families during the holiday season
Billy Smith and his wife Jo recalled that Elvis Presley’s generosity knew no bounds. But most importantly, Elvis wanted to make sure that his family and friends were able to give their immediate families a happy holiday as well.
Jo said, “Elvis came out with a stack with Christmas bonuses. He gave us a Christmas bonus every year I can ever remember. He wanted to make sure everybody had enough to see to their families.”
She recalled, “On top of that, he gave cars and different things. One time he gave me this beautiful yellow gold and diamond ring. It was beautiful. I could not take my eyes off it.”
Billy added of his cousin, “You could never talk about Elvis’ generosity and not know that he was a giving man. He loved to give and see people’s reactions. He loved people. He gave from the heart. Regardless of what he gave, you couldn’t ask for a better present than that.”
“Everyone would gather around in the dining room and he would open up presents. Nobody would get him anything expensive because he had everything in the world,” Jo concluded.
Elvis Presley’s Graceland remains a hub for the holiday season. In 2024, for the seventh year running, the home won USA Today’s award for Best Holiday Historic Home Tour.
