What Is a Grave Blanket? The Winter Tradition, Explained

In late November, in cemeteries across the upper Midwest, graves start to disappear under blankets of green. A grave blanket is a covering of evergreen boughs laid over the grave for the winter, often decorated with pinecones, ribbon and a bow. It is one of the oldest holiday traditions at the cemetery.

Where the tradition comes from

Grave blankets are usually traced to Scandinavia, where families laid evergreen boughs on graves in winter, when nothing else would grow or survive the cold. Scandinavian and German immigrants brought the custom to the upper Midwest, and it is still most common in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and the Chicago area.

What it means

The blanket is a sign of warmth and care, a way of tucking someone in for the winter. Evergreens have long stood for life that lasts through the cold season, which is why they belong to Christmas as well.

Blankets and pillows

• A grave blanket covers most or all of the grave, usually about the size of the plot.
• A grave pillow is a smaller version placed at the base of the headstone. Pillows suit cemeteries that limit how much of the grave can be covered.

When to place one

Most families place a blanket between Thanksgiving and early December so it is there for Christmas. Evergreens hold their color through a cold winter, and the blanket typically stays until the cemetery's spring clean-up.

Check the rules first

Not every cemetery allows them. Some ban grave blankets because they cover the grass and can damage it, and some only allow them inside set dates. Arlington National Cemetery, for example, prohibits grave blankets and Christmas trees and allows wreaths from December 1 to January 31. Our guide to cemetery flower rules explains how to find the rules for a specific cemetery.

Caring for a blanket

Real evergreens dry out over the winter but keep their shape. If the cemetery allows it, a visit in January to straighten the bow and clear snow is the only care it needs. Remove it, or let the cemetery remove it, before spring mowing.