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National Wreaths Across America Day falls on Saturday, December 19, 2026. That is 53 days away.

Evergreen wreaths with red bows, set one by one against rows of headstones. National Wreaths Across America Day is a commemorative day when volunteers lay wreaths on the graves of service members and veterans in cemeteries across the United States.

The wreaths are usually made of fresh evergreen branches, often balsam fir, finished with a simple red bow. Evergreens stay green through the cold months, and many people see that as a quiet sign of remembrance that does not fade.

The observance is organized around ceremonies at national, state and local cemeteries. A typical gathering opens with words of remembrance and sometimes a moment for each branch of the armed services. Volunteers then walk among the graves and place wreaths. Many pause to read the name on the stone aloud before moving on, so that each person is remembered individually rather than as part of a crowd.

The people who take part are a wide mix: veterans and their families, scout troops, school groups, neighbors and people who simply live nearby. Some come to a cemetery where a relative is buried. Others come to a place they have driven past for years without stopping.

In winter the cemeteries are often bare and quiet, and the green and red of the wreaths stand out sharply against grass, snow or stone. For a few weeks afterward, visitors can see the rows of wreaths still in place, each one marking a single life of service.

Ways to honor this day

• Attend a wreath-laying ceremony at a nearby veterans or local cemetery.
• Read aloud the name of a veteran buried in your community.
• Display a flag at your home in remembrance.
• Write a note of thanks to a veteran or a military family.
• Visit the grave of a relative or neighbor who served.

Official site

Dates

All national days on December 19

Categories: Commemorative days