Today, thousands of volunteers across America will place wreaths on hundreds of thousands of graves at veterans cemeteries.

The nonprofit Wreaths Across America will lay wreaths at national veterans cemeteries. Many state and local efforts, such as our own Horton Wreath Society, take care of the state veterans cemeteries, such as Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery, so that no veteran goes unhonored or unremembered during the holiday season.

The holidays are an especially important time to remember our veterans. While many people think of them on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, which is appropriate, the holidays are just as meaningful.

It is the sacrifice of veterans that allows us to celebrate our faith, and many of the winter holidays at least have roots in various faith traditions, even if some people don’t observe them with religion at the front of their minds.

It is the sacrifice of veterans that allows us to maintain our unique American culture, in which Christmas in particular is ingrained as deeply as apple pie or the Fourth of July.

It is the sacrifice of veterans that means some of them will not be with their families this holiday season or any in the future, and anyone who has lost a loved one — veteran or not — knows the loss is felt more keenly when the rest of the family is gathered and traditions are being celebrated.

So we support and encourage the efforts of wreath societies across the country, especially our local Horton Wreath Society, to honor veterans with this special seasonal remembrance. If you’d like to support them, too, the wreath-laying at the Horton cemetery, 5310 Milners Road, begins at 9:30 a.m.