Christmas Flowers for a Grave: What to Send and When to Order

The holidays are the hardest time to be far from a grave. Decorating it for Christmas is one of the oldest ways families keep a loved one part of the season, and it is one of the busiest times for graveside deliveries. A little planning gets the flowers there in time, and keeps them there through the holidays.

What families place at a grave for Christmas

• A holiday arrangement. Poinsettias, red roses, evergreen sprigs and icicle branches in a vase or a headstone saddle. Silk versions hold their color through snow and freezing rain, which fresh poinsettias will not.
• A wreath. Evergreen wreaths are the classic choice, placed against the headstone or on an easel stand. Wreaths Across America has made December wreaths a tradition at veterans' graves nationwide.
• A small tree or grave blanket. In northern states, evergreen grave blankets and small decorated trees are common, especially where snow covers the lawn.
• Something personal. An ornament that meant something, a photo in a weatherproof frame, or the same red roses that were on the table every Christmas.

Check the cemetery's December rules

December is the one month when almost every cemetery relaxes its decoration rules, and also the month they enforce clean-up dates most firmly afterwards. Most cemeteries allow holiday decorations from around Thanksgiving through early January, then clear everything on a posted date, often the first or second week of January. National cemeteries permit artificial flowers and wreaths through the winter under their floral policy. Glass, candles and anything that could blow into a neighboring grave are the usual exclusions. Our guide to cemetery rules explains how to check.

When to order

Two things drive timing: cemetery clearing and delivery volume.

• Deliver in the first half of December. Flowers placed in the first two weeks of December are there for the whole season, including Christmas Eve visits by other family members, and are still fresh-looking on New Year's Day.
• Avoid the last few days before Christmas. Delivery services are at their busiest, weather is at its worst, and cemetery offices are closing for the holiday.
• Order early. For a delivery in the first half of December, order by late November. Scheduling the delivery date when you order, even months ahead, means it is done and you can stop thinking about it.

Making it a tradition

Many families find that once the grave is decorated for Christmas, they want it cared for at Easter and on the birthday too. A plan with a delivery each season does exactly that, and the delivery photos build into a memorial page the whole family can visit, wherever they are on Christmas morning.