Graceland at Christmas: 5 Holiday Traditions at Elvis Presley’s Iconic Home
Elvis Presley loved Christmas. The King of Rock and Roll’s enthusiasm for the holiday was well-known, from the lavish decorations at Graceland to his penchant for over-the-top gifts. Now, decades after Presley’s death, the team at his Memphis mansion keep the seasonal magic alive thanks to some long-held holiday traditions dating back to the days when the “Love Me Tender” crooner still lived in the home.
Graceland’s iconic blue drapes are switched out for red ones
If you’ve visited Graceland (or seen photos of the home), you’re familiar with its iconic blue drapes. But at Christmas time, those drapes are swapped out for bright red ones. In fact, they’re the original red drapes that hung in the home when Elvis lived there, according to Architectural Digest. Fans can see them in person during Graceland’s famous holiday tours.
Elvis Presley’s own holiday decorations come out of storage
The red drapes aren’t the only item that comes out of storage at Graceland when the holidays come around. The team also pulls out other decorations once handled by Elvis himself.
“The tinsel that we put on that tree every year is the original tinsel from when Elvis decorated it,” Angie Marchese, Graceland’s vice president of archives and exhibits, told Architectural Digest. “Priscilla tells the story that when they were decorating the tree, she would tell Elvis, ‘You hang the tinsel like icicles; it’s supposed to hang down.’ Elvis would ball it up and throw it at the tree, like a snowball.”
It’s a ‘Blue Christmas’ outside of Graceland
The holiday vibes at Graceland are just as impressive outside as they are inside. In the 1960s, Presley fell in love with the idea of having blue lights outside his home after he saw a home in California with a similar setup. Today, the blue lights still twinkle outside of Graceland every year.
“The exteriors of Christmas at Graceland start going up in October,” Marchese told Action News 5. “Our maintenance team and crew out here, I mean it’s a crew of about seven to eight guys that do all of this. And you’re talking three or four full weeks of doing all of this, including putting all the lights around the house.”
Giving back is another Graceland holiday tradition
Elvis’ generosity was legendary. In addition to sharing his wealth with those he knew personally, he also donated to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Marine toy drives, and to support those affected by a tornado in Mississippi. In 1996 alone, he handed out more than $100,000 in checks to various Memphis charities, according to the Graceland blog. Today, Graceland keeps Presley’s spirit of holiday giving alive through the Poinsettia Campaign, which raises money for various charitable causes.
The Christmas decorations stay up until Elvis’ birthday
Some people take down their Christmas decorations shortly after Dec. 25th. Others wait until New Year’s Day. But at Graceland, the decor always stays up until Jan. 8 – Elvis’ birthday.
In 2020, Presley’s former wife Priscilla Presley opened up about her memories of Christmas at Graceland.
“It was really beautiful… it was already joyous, such a happy time,” she recalled to Express. “…It was his favorite time of year. He was like a kid.”
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