Elvis Presley’s Memorable First Christmas Gift to Priscilla Presley
What was it like to spend Christmas with Elvis Presley? The King of Rock and Roll was well known for his love of the holiday and his efforts to make the day magical for his loved ones. Priscilla Presley learned of Elvis’s enthusiasm for Christmas early on. Just a few months after she met the man who would become her husband, the two exchanged Christmas gifts for the first time.
Elvis Presley bought Priscilla her first real jewelry
Elvis and Priscilla met in 1959. He was 24. She was 14. Both were living in Germany at the time. Elvis was stationed there during his time in the Army, while Priscilla was living there with her mother and stepfather, who was in the U.S. Air Force. While Priscilla was barely in high school, she caught Elvis’s attention. And even though her parents were initially reluctant to let her spend time with an older man, they relented after meeting Elvis in person.
Not long after their first encounter, Elvis and Priscilla celebrated their first Christmas together. She recalled the gift he gave her in a 2017 interview with NPR.
“He had given me a ring and a beautiful watch,” she said. “That was the first piece of jewelry I’ve ever gotten from anyone.”
Priscilla bought Elvis bongos for Christmas in 1959
The teenage Priscilla was at a bit of a loss when it came to finding a gift for Elvis, who was already a major star.
“I was trying to find him a Christmas present. That was a feat in itself,” she shared. “I just remember walking down the streets of Wiesbaden trying to figure out what to get him.”
Priscilla had to ask her father for money to buy the gift, and though he was not a big spender, he handed over about $35.
“I remember walking up and down the streets and I saw this little music store,” Priscilla said. “And I looked around and I saw bongo drums in the window … I got that for him. He was very happy with them and actually used them quite a bit.”
Priscilla Presley recalled her first Christmas at Graceland
Despite her young age, Elvis and Priscilla kept in touch after he left Germany and returned home to the U.S. A few years later, he invited her to join him at Graceland for Christmas.
“It was really beautiful,” Priscilla recalled of her first glimpse of the King’s Memphis home at the holidays. “Elvis drove me up the front gates. And then the gates open up, and I see all these beautiful lights. And he takes me to the front door, opens it up, and all of his friends are there and to celebrate the holidays. It was, how can I say? It was already joyous, music was on, and it was such a happy time.”
Four years later, Elvis proposed to Priscilla. He popped the question just a few weeks before Christmas.
“It was a surprise,” she said. “He got on his knee with a gift behind his back and told me to close my eyes … then he told me to open them and he presented me with a beautiful engagement ring.”
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