“For if every day could be just like Christmas, what a wonderful world this would be”

-Lyrics from If  Every Day Was Like Christmas, 1966

Elvis loved to make up new games. The current game of 1966 “firework fights”. The Memphis Mafia and Elvis dress up in football helmets and pads, then they line up facing one another and fire off Roman candles. Not terrifying at all. Record sales are doing much better by 1966. RCA announces that Elvis’ total record sales jumped from 49.3 million in 1963 to 78 million by 1966. With this news occurring in January, Elvis decides to really celebrate his birthday and rents out the Memphian Theater and watches movies until dawn.

By February, Elvis was back in the recording studio making music for his next film Spinout. They begin filming February 23^rd. During the filming, several women escape the crowd and rush to get to Elvis. Just as this happens, race cars begin approaching at high speed. Thankfully, no one is injured. It is announced on March 13^th that Elvis is the highest-paid entertainer in the world. Also, the highest single taxpayer in the country. Frankie and Johnny opens March 30^th to the better reviews.

I’ll Remember You

(From the 1973 Aloha from Hawaii Special, but he is too pretty not to share this video)

Returning to Memphis by April, Elvis rents the Fair Ground Amusement Park so he and his friends can enjoy it all night long. Elvis flies over to Nashville because he was scheduled to record over 20 songs including the hit Love Letters. Paradise, Hawaiian Style premiered June 9^th. The next day, Elvis is back in the studio making songs including If Every Day Was Like Christmas (written by friend Red West) and I’ll Remember You. The gang heads out to Los Angeles to prepare for filming Double Trouble. Becuase of his grandmother’s health, Elvis remains in Memphis until the last minute. He flies out June 26^th and goes straight to the studio to cut songs for his next film.

Love Letters

Double Trouble begins filming July 11^th. Paradise, Hawaiian Style gets on the charts July 16^th and stays there for 19 weeks. Filming is completed for Double Trouble by September 6^th and just six days later he begins filming for Easy Come, Easy Go. He goes into the recording studio September 28^th to finish songs for the film. Spinout premiered October 17^th at the Loew’s State theater in Memphis where Elvis worked in high school. The film has the usual mixed reviews. Being the loving, thoughtful man Elvis was, on October 31^st he called seven-year-old Gina Williams to wish her a happy birthday. She was suffering from a malignant tumor at St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

If Every Day Was Be Like Christmas

Elvis loved Christmas. He had Graceland decked out every year. On the way back from Los Angeles, he stopped out of town to wait for the decorations to be up to drive up late at night to see his home lit up. As usual, Elvis makes his donations to local charities. This year adding up to over $100,000. Gary Pepper, a huge Elvis fan, gets a surprise visit from his idol. Elvis is not empty handed. He gives him a 1966 Chevrolet convertible. In such a giving mood, Elvis gives George Klein (a radio DJ) a 1967 yellow Cadillac convertible.

On Christmas day, Elvis announces his engagement to Priscilla and gives her a large diamond engagement ring. Elvis wants to celebrate big this New Year, just as he does every year but because the crowds outside Graceland are too intense, they stay home.

TCB,

Little Sister