Holiday Grave Decorations: What Cemeteries Allow and How to Honor a Loved One From Afar
Tending's short answer: cemetery rules for holiday decorations differ from one cemetery to the next. Some allow wreaths and grave blankets for a set window in December and January, while others, including Arlington National Cemetery, prohibit grave blankets and Christmas trees. Check your cemetery's written rules before you place anything. If you live far away, a care service can clean the headstone and send you photos.
What Holiday Decorations Do Cemeteries Allow?
Christmas grave decorations follow cemetery decoration rules, and those rules differ from one cemetery to the next. Some set a holiday window for wreaths and grave blankets, while others limit what you can place or prohibit certain items. VA national cemeteries, for example, allow wreaths and grave blankets in December and January, with blankets no larger than 2 by 3 feet, although each cemetery can adjust the dates locally. Arlington National Cemetery, which the Army runs rather than VA, allows wreaths from December 1 through January 31 and prohibits grave blankets and Christmas trees. Private cemeteries publish their own dates and rules.
Can You Put a Christmas Wreath or Tree on a Grave?
The answer depends on the cemetery. These examples come from published rules and show the range.
| Cemetery | Holiday window | Grave blankets | Other rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia National Cemetery (VA) | December 15 to January 10 | Permitted, along with wreaths and other seasonal adornments | Holiday items may not be secured to headstones or markers; vigil lights are not permitted |
| Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery (VA) | December 1 to January 20 | Permitted, no larger than 2 by 3 feet | Nothing may be secured or adhered to headstones, markers, or niche covers; statues and vigil lights are not permitted |
| Arlington National Cemetery (Army) | Wreaths December 1 to January 31 | Prohibited | Christmas trees and vigil lights are prohibited; nothing may be attached to a headstone |
| Washington State Veterans Cemetery | Wreaths and blankets from December 10, removed by January 10 | Permitted, no larger than 2 by 3 feet | Statues and vigil lights are not permitted |
| Arlington Memorial Gardens, Cincinnati (private) | Thanksgiving Day to February 1 | Not specified | Wires and wire frames are prohibited as holders for decorations |
| Arlington Cemetery Association, New Jersey (private) | Annual cleanup around January 15 | Not specified | Wreath stands, solar lights, candles, and lanterns are prohibited |
| Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Washington | December 1 to February 1 | Not specified | Candles and solar lights are prohibited |
Rules differ by cemetery, so ask for yours in writing. The three cemeteries called Arlington above are separate places. For how to clean the markers themselves, see VA rules for veteran headstones.
If you’d like to decorate the headstone for the holidays, contact our Care Manager and we will do our best to help.
What Can You Put on a Grave at Christmas?
It depends on the cemetery, but published rules sort decorations into a few groups. Fresh cut flowers are allowed at any time of year at VA national cemeteries. Wreaths and grave blankets get a holiday window. Artificial flowers get a window set by the cemetery, for example November 10 to March 1 at Georgia National Cemetery and October 1 to April 1 at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery. Potted plants, such as a poinsettia, are limited to a few holidays at some cemeteries: Dallas-Fort Worth and Alabama National Cemeteries permit them for 10 days before and after Christmas. At VA national cemeteries, statues, lights, candles, balloons, and anything attached to a headstone are not permitted.
What Is a Grave Blanket?
VA defines a grave blanket as a blanket of intertwined branches or man-made material, used as an alternative to flowers in winter. Cemeteries that allow them often set a size limit: VA national cemeteries cap them at 2 by 3 feet. Others do not allow them at all, and Arlington National Cemetery lists grave blankets as prohibited.
When Do Cemeteries Remove Holiday Decorations?
Each cemetery sets its own dates. Alabama National Cemetery removes holiday wreaths and grave blankets not later than January 20, Washington State Veterans Cemetery by January 10, Arlington Memorial Gardens on February 1, and Arlington Cemetery Association in New Jersey holds a cleanup around January 15. Items left after the cleanup date are removed by cemetery staff, so if you want to keep a wreath, ask when the cleanup is and take it home first.
Are Candles and Solar Lights Allowed?
It depends on the cemetery. VA national cemeteries prohibit lights, vigil lights, and candles, and Arlington National Cemetery lists vigil lights as prohibited. Some private cemeteries also ban candles and solar lights, including Arlington Cemetery Association in New Jersey and the Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Washington. Others allow a limited version: the Catholic Parish Cemeteries Association in Pittsburgh permits one vigil or solar light per marker, up to 18 inches high, with no open flames and no glass. Ask before you bring any.
How to Honor a Loved One's Grave From Afar
If you cannot visit, start with the cemetery office. Ask what it allows this season and whether a local florist may deliver an arrangement, and ask for the answer in writing. Our guide to cemetery rules and permit requirements explains what to expect.
You can also care for the headstone itself, which stays in place all year. Tending cleans and restores headstones in all 50 states, coordinates access with the cemetery, and sends a photo report after every visit. If you tell your Care Manager about a memorial date in advance, the team will do its best to schedule the visit around it. Cleaning before winter matters too, and why fall is the best time to clean a headstone explains why.
If you have your own wishes for flowers, a wreath, or another tribute, tell your Care Manager and we will do our best to arrange it within your cemetery's rules.
For other ways to remember someone from a distance, see remote grave care options and honoring a mother's memory from afar.
Frequently asked questions
What holiday decorations do cemeteries allow?
It depends on the cemetery. Some allow wreaths for a set period around the holidays, and some also allow grave blankets, while others prohibit them. Arlington National Cemetery, for example, allows wreaths from December 1 through January 31 and prohibits grave blankets and Christmas trees. Ask for the written rules first.
What can you put on a grave?
It depends on the cemetery. Fresh cut flowers are allowed at any time of year at VA national cemeteries, artificial flowers only in a seasonal window, and wreaths and grave blankets only in a holiday window. Statues, lights, candles, balloons, and anything attached to a headstone are not permitted at VA national cemeteries.
Can you put a Christmas wreath on a grave?
Cemeteries that allow wreaths often set dates and size limits. VA national cemeteries allow wreaths and grave blankets in December and January, with blankets no larger than 2 by 3 feet, and each cemetery can adjust the dates. Georgia National Cemetery, for example, permits them from December 15 through January 10.
Can you put a Christmas tree on a grave?
Some cemeteries prohibit it. Arlington National Cemetery, for example, lists Christmas trees as prohibited. Ask your cemetery before you bring one.
What is a grave blanket?
A grave blanket is a blanket of intertwined branches or man-made material, used as an alternative to flowers in winter. VA cemeteries that allow them cap their size at 2 by 3 feet, while Arlington National Cemetery prohibits them.
What size can a grave blanket be?
It depends on the cemetery. VA national cemeteries and Washington State Veterans Cemetery cap grave blankets at 2 by 3 feet, and Arlington National Cemetery does not allow them.
Can I make my own Christmas grave decorations?
Check the cemetery's rules and the materials first. Some cemeteries prohibit wires and wire frames, and some VA national cemeteries, such as Georgia and Alabama, warn that beads or wires can tangle in mowing equipment.
When do cemeteries remove Christmas decorations?
Each cemetery sets its own dates. Washington State Veterans Cemetery removes wreaths and blankets by January 10, Alabama National Cemetery by January 20, and Arlington Memorial Gardens in Cincinnati on February 1. Ask when the cleanup is before you leave a decoration.
Are candles allowed on graves?
Some cemeteries do not allow them. VA national cemeteries list candles and vigil lights as prohibited, and Arlington Cemetery Association in New Jersey also lists solar lights. Ask your cemetery about candles and solar lights before you bring any.
How can I honor a grave for the holidays if I live far away?
Ask the cemetery office what it allows and whether a local florist may deliver an arrangement. You can also arrange care for the headstone itself: Tending cleans and restores headstones in all 50 states and sends a photo report after every visit. If you have wishes for flowers or a wreath, tell your Care Manager and the team will do its best to help.
