Tupelo native helps Graceland’s celebration of Elvis birthday bash

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Visitors to Elvis Presley’s Graceland can still see how the singer decorated his home for Christmas.

Christmas decorations dating back to Elvis’ first holiday at Graceland in 1957 are on display at the mansion.

The interior is decorated with Christmas trees, lights and other original items Elvis used in the sixties and seventies.

Tom Brown hosts the YouTube series “The Gates of Graceland”, which takes viewers behind the scenes at the mansion.

He said Christmas was always a special time for Elvis who was always eager to decorate for the holiday.

“It was about 1962 or 63, after that Christmas Elvis never missed another Christmas at Graceland, he was always at home, made sure tours ended before the holidays because he was going to spend it at Graceland.  I love stories of the Memphis, what they, what do you get Elvis for Christmas, and one year they had a marble statue of Jesus commissioned, and that statue is still at Graceland today,” said Brown.

Brown is originally from Tupelo.

He will help host the 85th birthday celebrations at Graceland next Tuesday.

The Christmas decorations always came down after Elvis’ birthday on January 8.