Dec. 17—ANDERSON — After placing a wreath before a tombstone belonging to a fellow Air Force veteran, Jonny Wickham stood and saluted, pausing to remind himself of the meaning of the moment.

“A lot of people don’t think deep enough on what our freedom means, and what it took, and what it continues to take, and the sacrifice that people have made,” Wickham said, “and not just these people, but their families also.”

Ceremonies at Maplewood Cemetery in Anderson and Grovelawn Cemetery in Pendleton Saturday served as reminders of those sacrifices as well as opportunities for parents and grandparents to share the task of honoring veterans with their children.

“We really want that to stand out, that this isn’t going to end,” said Diana Ross, a member of the Anderson chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution who helped organize the ceremony at Maplewood Cemetery. “It’s going to be generational. We want (the children) to understand what it means to serve your country.”

The observances — which included moments of silence, the presentation of colors, and the placing of live balsam fir wreaths beneath flags representing each branch of the Armed Forces — were part of National Wreaths Across America Day, an effort to honor deceased veterans, express gratitude to their families and pass the importance of the day along to the next generation.

The Wreaths Across America program was started in 1992 by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester, who arranged to have extra wreaths his company had made placed on veterans’ graves at Arlington National Cemetery.

The annual tradition grew into a day of remembrance — usually the second or third Saturday in December — involving millions of participants.

This year, officials expected nearly 2 million wreaths to be placed at more than 4,000 sites in all 50 states, as well as planned ceremonies at sea and abroad.

In Pendleton, officials noted a paradox in emotions that some may have felt — a sense of gratitude in celebrating the Christmas season, but also a sense of loss as friends, family members and fellow service members mourn the fallen.

“Veterans are valued members of our community,” said Marisa Skaggs, president of the Pendleton Town Council. “It’s honoring for Pendleton to know that these veterans thought highly enough of Pendleton to come and have this be their final resting place.”

In her remarks to the nearly 100 residents gathered under gray skies and bundled against frigid morning breezes, Skaggs said the placing of wreaths should be seen as “a somber reminder of sacrifice.”

“It’s just important that we continue to recognize these folks,” she said, “even if they have predeceased us.”

Wickham said the day’s proximity to Christmas resonates with him. As an Air Force veteran, he noted, he spent several holidays separated from his family.

“Being around the holidays and stuff, that’s a humongous sacrifice,” he said. “Not just to sacrifice for the freedom, but to sacrifice the time that you have with your family, and knowing how important that really is.”

Follow Andy Knight on Twitter @Andrew_J_Knight, or call 765-640-4809.