Wreaths Across America 2026 Is Saturday, Dec. 19: Arlington Schedule and How to Sponsor

National Wreaths Across America Day 2026 is Saturday, Dec. 19, the nonprofit Wreaths Across America says on its home page, with wreaths placed at more than 5,500 participating locations in all 50 states, at sea and abroad. At Arlington National Cemetery, where the effort began, the location page says volunteers start placing wreaths at 8 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) and reach the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at noon. The 2026 theme is “Remember Me.”

When is Wreaths Across America Day 2026?

National Wreaths Across America Day falls on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2026. The organization describes three ways to take part: sponsor a wreath (Remember), volunteer to place wreaths (Honor) and invite others to join (Teach). Executive Director Karen Worcester set the 2026 theme, “Remember Me.”

The group began at Arlington: starting in 1992, the founder and his family placed wreaths there each December, and the national nonprofit was founded in 2007. The day falls six days before Christmas; the December 2026 printable calendar shows both.

What is the Arlington wreath-placement schedule for Dec. 19?

The Arlington National Cemetery location page lists the 2026 placement schedule below. Arlington is run by the Department of the Army, not the National Cemetery Administration.

Time (Eastern Standard Time)	What happens
8:00 a.m.	Wreath laying begins; each volunteer receives one wreath to place
10:00 a.m.	Wreath presentation at President Taft’s gravesite
10:30 a.m.	President Kennedy’s and family’s gravesite
10:45 a.m.	Robert Kennedy’s gravesite
11:00 a.m.	Ted Kennedy’s gravesite
11:30 a.m.	U.S.S. Maine mast
12:00 p.m.	Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

The page says there are 268,750 veteran graves at Arlington, which is also the coverage goal. As of Oct. 30, 2026, it showed 29,208 wreaths sponsored, 10.9% of the goal.

Registration is not required but is recommended through the Volunteer button on the location page. Arlington says it will not require registration of each volunteer in 2026.

What is Family Pass Holder Day on Dec. 13?

Sunday, Dec. 13, 2026, is Family Pass Holder Day at Arlington, limited to Family Pass Holders, people with an immediate next of kin buried at the cemetery. No registration is required for that day. Arlington is the only participating cemetery with a Family Pass Holder Day.

How do you sponsor a wreath?

One veteran’s wreath sponsorship costs $17 on the Wreaths Across America sponsorship page, which also offers recurring sponsorships. Volunteers are asked to “say their name” as they place each wreath. The organization’s pages do not list one national sponsorship deadline; cutoffs are set by each location, so check your location’s page for its date.

Do you need a REAL ID to volunteer at Arlington?

Adults driving onto the cemetery should be ready to present a REAL ID at the security checkpoint. Visitors who park in the Welcome Center garage, walk in, take Metro or use a ride share go through standard screening at the Welcome Center and do not need a REAL ID.

Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall is open to Department of Defense (DoD) identification card holders only, with parking at the Tri-Services lot; entry to the cemetery from the base is only through the Old Post Chapel gate.

What are the rules for placing a wreath?

Out of respect for Jewish custom, which does not place wreaths or flowers on graves, the location page asks volunteers not to place a wreath on a headstone marked with a Star of David. Instead, stop at that grave, say the name, and if a wreath is already there, leave it. Families who do not want a wreath placed for a loved one can call Wreaths Across America customer service at (877) 385-9504.

How do you find your local ceremony?

Ceremony times and cleanup dates are set by each participating location, not nationally. At Santa Fe National Cemetery, for example, the location page lists a ceremony on Dec. 19, 2026, at 10 a.m. Mountain Standard Time (MST), with cleanup on Jan. 16, 2027. Use the site’s location and group search to find the schedule near you.

Mark the dates on the December 2026 printable calendar, and see when is Veterans Day for the related November observance. The one-page Arlington schedule above is ready to print.