Wreaths Across America Day: How to help honor fallen soldiers this holiday season
More than 3 million volunteers will come together across the nation on Dec. 16 to take part in Wreaths Across America Day – a humbling annual tradition that lays millions of holiday wreaths on the graves of fallen service members.
What began 30 years ago as a private way to honor the country’s veterans is now a national effort and a year-round mission to "remember the fallen, honor those that serve, but most importantly to teach the next generation the value and cost of freedom," explained Karen Worcester, executive director of the nonprofit Wreaths Across America.
Worcester joined LiveNow from FOX to talk about this year’s big event and how you can help.
What is Wreaths Across America Day?
People carry wreaths to place on tombstones at Arlington National Cemetery, on December 18, 2021 (Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images)
Wreaths Across America dates back to 1992, when the owners of Worcester Wreath Company in Maine ended up with a surplus of holiday wreaths near the end of the holiday season, according to the Wreaths Across America website. The company’s owner, Morrill Worcester, remembered his childhood trip to Arlington National Cemetery and came up with a way to honor the veterans buried there.
The Worcesters teamed up with former U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe to make arrangements for the wreaths to be placed at Arlington in one of the cemetery’s older sections. A number of other people and companies stepped up to help, including volunteers who decorated the wreaths and a local trucking company that provided transportation from Maine to Virginia.
From there, the wreath-laying became an annual tradition, but it was done "quietly and privately." That all changed in 2005 when a photo of snow-covered wreaths at Arlington went viral on the internet.
Volunteers place wreaths on headstones at Arlington National Cemetery on December 17, 2022 in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
With their efforts receiving national attention, people from all over wanted to help purchase and lay wreaths at Arlington. Even more people wanted to lay wreaths at their local national and state cemeteries.
In 2006, with the help of the Civic Air Patrol and other groups, 150 cemeteries around the country held simultaneous wreath-laying ceremonies. The Patriot Guard Riders volunteered to escort the wreaths going from Maine to Arlington – a convoy that’s now dubbed the "world’s largest veterans parade."
The convoy stops at schools, monuments, veterans' homes and other places along the route to educate people on the Wreaths Across America mission.
READ MORE: Here's the age when Christmas becomes more about giving than receiving, according to survey
"The mission is actually a year-round mission to remember the fallen, honor those that serve, but most importantly to teach the next generation the value and cost of freedom," Karen Worcester explained.
In 2022, Wreaths Across America and its millions of volunteers placed more than 2.7 million wreaths on the headstones of fallen soldiers at 3,702 locations.
This year, there are 3 million volunteers placing wreaths at 4,005 locations across the nation.
"These wreath-layings are very personal: it's about the loved ones in your community, and it brings together families and it's wonderful," Worcester said. "Of our 3 million volunteers, one third of them are kids … It's not sobering, but it's respectful and it's wonderful, and it's such a great opportunity to teach these kids."
How can you participate in Wreaths Across America Day?
Volunteers place wreaths on headstones at Arlington National Cemetery on December 17, 2022 in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
It’s not too late to volunteer at one of the 4,000-plus locations participating in Wreaths Across America, and it’s also not too late to sponsor a wreath, Worcester said.
A $17 sponsorship not only places a wreath on a grave, it also helps support the nonprofit’s year-round teaching efforts – including a full curriculum on the Wreaths Across America website that was created by a Gold Star mom and retired teacher. The nonprofit also has a radio station to support living veterans and their families, as well as a $5 back program that gives back to local communities. Wreaths Across America has donated over $22 million since its inception.
READ MORE: Want to donate to charity this holiday season? Try one of these vending machines
You can also give a wreath sponsorship as a holiday gift. Wreaths Across America will send an e-card or card by mail to a family and let them know you sponsored a wreath for a veteran’s grave in their name.
"It’s healing, it’s heartwarming, and it’s an important thing to do," Worcester said. "We celebrate the holidays in a free country, and we do so because of the efforts of these men and women."