LINDALE, Texas — Just ahead of Father's Day, 321st District Court Judge Robert Wilson walked into his office last Thursday to receive a special surprise from none other than a jolly singing and dancing unicorn.
Sitting in the conference room chair, the judge's face turned red and he smiled as the unicorn, Baley Holt, serenaded him with her version of Meghan Trainor's song "Mother" -- changing the lyrics to be for a father instead.
The singing telegram came about through a phone call his wife Laura Wilson and their kids Emily and Luke made to Holt's budding business, Baley's Singing Telegram.
"It was hilarious. His face got super red and he probably won't forget it," Luke said.
Laura added it's very difficult to embarrass her husband, but Thursday was a day that will always be remembered. She said they enjoyed getting to celebrate him in a unique way.
"He's the best dad in the world. And he does so much for the community and all the other kids and Tyler. It was fun to treat him today," Laura said. "He's the best husband that I could ever ask for. He's always in a cheerful mood, and always puts a positive spin on everything. He's the glue and the foundation that makes us."
Holt, a Lindale stay-at-home mom to a 10-year-old, 7-year-old and twin toddler boys, began her business began out of boredom when she was scrolling through TikTok.
She found a woman performing singing telegrams in another state for a nurse and saw their day was made within just two minutes of singing and dancing.
"And I said I want to do that because there's so much hate in the world that it's so sad," Holt said. "And so I kind of jokingly told my husband, 'Hey, I want to be a singing telegram. He said, 'OK, cool.'"
She realized there was no one else offering telegrams in the area. So she gathered up some costumes and after her first performance, the business blew up.
Holt recalled her first performance was singing "Baby Got Back" in a chicken suit for a woman's best friend.
"It was so much fun. It's probably one of my top telegrams. It was so much fun because they enjoyed it so much," she said.
Her favorite part of this new journey is brightening someone's day and getting to be light in the world.
"My favorite is looking at their reaction when I come in because I do look goofy and I can't sing. So I haven't even tried; I try to be funny," Holt said. "I'm here to make your day and make you happy, make you laugh. I literally get told all the time that they've been talking about it for the rest of the day after I come."
She recalled one time when she was going to perform a telegram at a Tyler hospital, but the birthday boy ended up calling in sick for his shift. So she started singing for his patients.
"Then, I got with the director and we were en route to a couple of different patients who just were having bad days and they needed an uplift," Holt said. "I went and I sang for them. It was fun. It's what it's all about -- just bringing joy."
Over these past few months, she's accumulated several costumes: a heart, chicken, Napoleon Dynamite, Dolly Parton, an old lady, an old man and a unicorn.
She performs for "just because," retirements, birthdays, Father's Day and Mother's Day, pick-me-ups and teacher appreciation.
"It's so rewarding. I love it," Holt said. "If I'm there, you're gonna know I'm there because I'm gonna be loud. I'm gonna make sure that people see and they come for ultimate embarrassment."
And embarrassment and fun were just what Laura was looking for because, in addition to celebrating Father's Day, the telegram was also a bit of payback.
About 25 years ago, Robert hired a singing quartet to come to her classroom when she was an elementary school teacher. She remembered being shy and completely embarrassed.
"They say just wait awhile and wait to pick your turn," Laura said. "Well, today was the turn. And we always played pranks at home and growing up and the kids were always playing fun pranks on each other."
She added that Robert plays along and participates in the pranks as well. The family has hidden in the garage wearing a T-Rex suit and done jump scares and other pranks over the years.
Laura said everyone, including the judge's staff, loved the entire telegram performance.
"She's pretty fantastic. I would definitely encourage everyone to look her up on Facebook," Laura said.
Every telegram comes with a personalized six-inch cake from local baker Sweets By Arhai. Holt travels to Lindale and surrounding towns for the telegrams. To go outside of that area, she adds a small fee. The furthest she's gone so far is Longview, Holt said.
For more information or to see the telegrams in action, visit Holt's Facebook page.