Just like most of us, Elvis Presley loved Christmas. The King wouldn’t hold back on decorating his Graceland mansion, with lights and Christmas trees staying up until his birthday on January 8. The late star’s tradition would be to host his inner circle, the Memphis Mafia, at the house on Christmas Eve for an all-night party.
Elvis’ cousin Billy Smith was one of the Memphis Mafia and he lived by Graceland with his wife and kids.
One of his sons who grew up at Elvis’ house is Danny, who has shared his incredible experiences of Christmas at Graceland on his YouTube channel, Memphis Mafia Kid.
In one previous video, he said: “Elvis loved Christmas and wanted to make sure that Graceland was lit up and decorated beautifully.”
He shared how his heart would be racing and said: “It’s something you just can’t get out of your mind, it was beautiful.”
On Christmas Eve, the Memphis Mafia would arrive at Graceland where lots of festive food had been laid out around the mansion for them to enjoy. But the big moment would be when Elvis came downstairs to greet everyone, with Danny saying he would get chills in anticipation.
The King and the other adults would then socialise in the Jungle Room or upstairs in his bedroom. Meanwhile, Danny, Lisa Marie Presley and the other Memphis Mafia kids were free to run around Graceland playing all sorts of games from hide and seek to chucking an American football around.
As for Elvis’ last Christmas at Graceland in 1976, Danny shared how the party did indeed go on well into the morning of Christmas Day. By the end, most of the Memphis Mafia had gone home to bed except for his parents Billy and Jo, along with The King’s father Vernon and his girlfriend Sandi Miller. They would be hanging out upstairs in Elvis’ bedroom, which to this day is preserved just as he left it when he died up there in 1977.
Since the adults were still up there, Danny shared how he, Lisa Marie and the other children would continue to laugh and play downstairs and even help themselves to some leftover punch. That Christmas Elvis gave his daughter her very own golf cart.
Lisa Marie, who died in January at just 54, saw Christmas at Graceland as a very special time of year and brought her family there to celebrate during the holidays. The mansion may be a touring museum, but it’s still home to Elvis’ family who enjoys family dinners there sometimes.
When she’d visit, her china was brought out for serving and the 1970s kitchen appliances were switched on. Eating in the dining room by the front door, an extra table would be added so that the family could all eat together. Here’s hoping her daughters Riley Keough and twin teenagers Harper and Finley Lockwood keep up the traditions.