Wreaths Across America
Wreaths Across America
The mission of Wreaths Across America is to remember, honor, and teach. They do this by placing fresh wreaths on the graves at Arlington and across the nation.
Every year since 2008, Congress proclaims a Saturday in December as National Wreaths Across America Day. This year’s Wreaths Across America Day will take place on December 16, 2023. On that day, more than 2 million Veterans’ Wreaths will be placed across Local, National, and Military Cemeteries as well as Veterans’ Memorials and historic sites.
Placing wreaths has become an annual tradition for a couple of my good friends and me. We start pretty early, have a nice breakfast, and head to some special gravesites to place our wreaths.
Collums Cemetery
Bettye’s husband, Frank, served in the Air Force. They had been married 53 years when he passed away
Turnpike Cemetery
Mr. Graham was Pat’s dad and he served in the Navy, he had a military career.
Warren Cemetery
My dad served in the Army-Air Force.
Sand Springs Cemetery
Pat’s husband, Randy, served in the Air Force, they had been married 49 years when he passed away.
Remembering
The holidays always have a sad component when we think about our loved ones who have left. Participating in Wreaths Across America, even though sad, still makes for a feel-good day.
My friends and I usually get together, have a BIG breakfast and set out to place the wreaths. Sometimes we get rained on, we laugh a lot, and share sweet memories.
If you’ve never heard about Wreaths Across America, check it out. We can never honor our soldiers enough, no matter when, where, or how they served. They served. They served to protect us and our freedoms and we owe them.
How to Sign Up
You can sign up to support Wreaths Across America at any time by visiting WreathsAcrossAmerica.org to sponsor wreaths or volunteer for the annual event, which typically takes place on the second or third Saturday in December, with a sponsorship deadline usually a few weeks before that date. For the 2025 event, National Wreaths Across America Day is on Saturday, December 13, 2025, and the sponsorship cut-off is around mid-November, though exact dates can vary by location.
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