Elvis Presley’s Haphazard Christmas Tree Decorating Techniques Shocked Priscilla Presley
Elvis Presley‘s Graceland home turns into a winter wonderland from November through January, with all types of decorations seen in every room. However, when decorating for the Christmas holiday, Elvis’ haphazard techniques horrified his wife, Priscilla Presley.
Elvis Presley was not a pro at Christmas decorating
In a story about Graceland’s holiday decorations published by Architectural Digest, it was revealed Elvis Presley was not the most adept at decking the halls of his historic home. His techniques horrified his then-wife, Priscilla Presley.
Graceland’s vice president of archives and exhibits, Angie Marchese, spoke of Elvis’ love for Christmas. But when it came to decorating, he left it to others for a reason.
“The dining room [held] their main Christmas tree. It was heavily decorated with lights, tinsel, and various eclectic ornaments,” Marchese explains. “The tinsel that we put on that tree every year is the original tinsel from when Elvis decorated it.”
She continued, “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,” horrifying his wife.
A California home inspired Elvis Presley’s blue-light driveway
Elvis Presley wanted the exterior of his home to match the holiday decor inside. Therefore, he used lights, outdoor signs, and other Christmas decorations to make Graceland’s exterior look ultra-festive.
According to Angie Marchese, Elvis was taken with a house he saw in California. The driveway was lined with blue lights. This inspired him to have the same look created for the front of Graceland.
“His father joked he was surprised not to wake up with an airplane landed in Graceland’s front yard. Because the driveway looked just like a runway. And the airport’s only five miles from us,” Marchese joked.
Elvis also ensured his home’s decorations were large enough to entice passersby or those who stood outside Gracealnd’s gates in hopes of getting a glimpse of the King of Rock and Roll. “The very first Christmas lawn ornament Elvis displayed is the ‘Merry Christmas to All’ lights with Santa and the reindeer,” Marchese revealed.
“He put it there the Christmas of ’57. That was his first Christmas at Graceland, and he paid $300 for it,” she explained.
Following this, Elvis added a small manger on the home’s left side. But he decided to go with bigger pieces by the late 1960s, so it too could be seen from the road.
Inside Graceland, there are personal holiday touches in every room
For Elvis Presley, the Christmas season was a break from the hustle and bustle of his daily life. He enjoyed spending time at home around the holiday season, surrounded by family and friends.
Today, 46 years after Elvis’ death, Graceland’s staff continues to utilize his favorite decorations. The decor in each room shifts into holiday mode in November, lasting through the first week of January.
These include a Santa hat on the monkey statue in the TV room, Christmas salt and pepper shakers in the kitchen, and stuffed bears surrounded by brightly wrapped presents in the Jungle Room, to name a few. Everywhere visitors look, the spirit of Christmas surrounds them, and Elvis, in the same manner, decorated the home when he resided there.
Elvis Presley’s Graceland home is open for tours 363 days a year. The house is closed to visitors on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
