NATCHEZ — All Oscar Seyfarth wants for Christmas is a wreath. But not for his own house, he wants a wreath to place on each headstone in the Natchez National Cemetery.

Seyfarth is one of the local organizers of a national effort, Wreaths Across America, to adorn headstones in each of the country’s national cemeteries with wreaths. Seyfarth works with National Cemetery Director Phyllis Speed to coordinate the effort.

Wreath Across America is a non-profit organization that was formed as an expansion of the Arlington Wreath Project that lays 5,000 wreaths at the Arlington National Cemetery.

Worcester Wreath Company in Maine sends seven wreaths — one for each branch of the military and one for prisons of war and missing in action — to each participating national cemetery.

Wreaths are placed at the national cemeteries on the second Saturday in December each year. This year the ceremony is at 11 a.m. on Dec. 12.

“This is coordinated so that ceremonies are going on at the same time across the country,” he said. “We will start at precisely 11, and ceremonies in the eastern-time zone start at noon.”

Seyfarth, a 20-year U.S. Air Force veteran who served two years in Vietnam, said the program is just one more way to show respect for veterans.

“It is a touching tribute to see,” Seyfarth said. “It can be really great.”

To make it really great Seyfarth said more people are needed to sponsor wreaths. Wreaths are $15 each and can be sponsored at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org. To make sure wreaths are shipped to the Natchez National Cemetery, enter the location code MSNNCN.

Individuals, organizations and businesses are encouraged to sponsor wreaths.

“One of the good things this company does is, if an organization sponsors a $15 wreath, they send $5 back to that organization,” Seyfarth said.

The deadline to sponsor a wreath is Nov. 24. After that wreaths will be shipped to Seyfarth in Natchez.

“Right now all I know is we have seven on the way,” he said. “I won’t know how many we have until the semi shows up at my house.

“I hoping one day we will have enough to place one on each of the 6,500 headstones.”

For more information contact Seyfarth at 601-807-1576 or the Natchez National Cemetery at 601-445-4981.

The public is also encouraged to attend the ceremony. on Dec. 12.