An Old Tradition

As the holidays approach, T has insisted that it was important, and traditional for the family of a loved one deceased within the year to decorate the gravesite with a "grave blanket." She has insisted that this is an old German tradition, and so she got busy and worked to acquire the needed greenery and construct a "grave blanket" for Master's mother's grave.



I found it odd that I knew nothing of this particular "German" tradition. She and I share that heritage, and I do think it is sometimes a trial for our Irishman to deal with all the Teutonic energy that flows around our household. Still, I've been curious about where this "grave blanket" tradition comes from. Here's what I found:



Traditional grave blankets have been around for years, and are made from live pine branches, pine cones, baby's breath, and ribbons or bows. A grave blanket might have a centerpiece representing something special about a loved one -- a special occasion or hobby, a favorite pet or talent.
History tells us they were used to decorate grave sites in the winter, when flowers were not available or too fragile to withstand the bitter cold. Traditional grave blankets were used in the late fall and winter and were most popular during the Christmas season. They are designed for decorating the grave site for a short time and are then removed after the holidays. They are to the grave what the wreath is to the door. They are most commonly found in parts of the country where the winters are very cold and snowy -- especially in the midwestern parts of the U.S.



That, then, is the basic idea behind the lovely "grave blanket" that now adorns the grave of His mother...



swan