Christmas decoration clean-up for all Albany Diocesan Cemeteries
Christmas decoration clean-up in our cemeteries and lots will begin on Monday, January 16, 2023 for all Albany Diocesan Cemeteries. Lot owners are requested to remove any Christmas decorations they wish to save before January 16th.
Due to snow and frozen ground conditions, clean-up could possibly be delayed for some cemeteries or lots. To be sure, please remove any Christmas/holiday decorations you wish to keep by January 16th.
Fresh cut flowers in an approved vase are always permitted provided they are in good condition. Also any new (non- Christmas) seasonal decoration may be left providing the decoration is in accordance with the current Cemetery Rules and Regulations. All other decorations will be removed during the cleanup. The cleanup of all cemeteries takes some time, and depending on weather and the number of burials, may take a week to complete. During the cleanups, cemetery staff removes and discards all items from graves.
Employees are instructed to leave any permitted seasonal decoration that appears to be newly placed. Of course, this is a judgment call for our staff, so it is better to wait until after the cleanup to place decorations. Items placed in violation of cemetery rules and regulations or in disrepair may be removed and discarded at any time.
Annual clean-up dates start:
Jan. 15, Apr. 1, Nov. 1
Read more information regarding our cemeteries decoration regulations.
Thank you for helping to keep our cemeteries beautiful and safe for all.
I can’t begin to express my sadness upon arriving to St Joseph’s in Waterford cemetery today (1/29) to find a cross with flowers we have had on my dad’s monument removed. After being on hospice for 20 months ( often unheard of) my dad passed. My sister and I ( who took care of him) honored my dad by using Velcro to place a wooden cross on his monument. It was simply, not on the ground, followed regulations and was never removed for almost 5 years. Each year flower arrangements were put on and changed out for Valentine’ Day, Easter, spring, summer, his birthday, fall arrangement and yes, Christmas. Each year a small religious ornament was attached and when removed for the valentine day flowers it would be put on our family Christmas tree the following year. While I understand the need for a “Christmas cleanup” ( I can’t believe some of the massive and over the top decorations I have seen) the cross to my dad was not a “ Christmas decoration” and should have not been removed. I understand that it is a judgement call on the staff doing the clean up but in this case they got it wrong. Our cross had never been removed in 5 years. I’m sure I am not the only person to find disappointment and sadness this year. While your posting about the clean up was posted December 1st, ( and not seen by myself and probably many other families) I would like to suggest that perhaps some additional signs in the cemetery be placed ( perhaps at ALL entrances) on that date also. My cross flowers were changed and placed back on after December 1st. If I had known the clean up date and that my cross would possibly be taken, I would have removed it. I have pictures to remind me of all the times we honored my dad and am willing to share if you need to see how simple it was. Any chance you still have the removed items? Please let me know. Thank you.
Ms. Marios,
I have forwarded your comment on to our Cemetery Director. We’re sorry to hear that you were surprised that your family items were removed during our annual Christmas/January clean-up. Our annual clean-up dates have been scheduled on the same dates for many years and are posted in our cemeteries, in our newsletter, website and social media, published in our Rules and Regulations information and brochures, and posted in community newsletters, publications and calendars.
For future reference, our annual clean-ups begin on or around January 15, April 1, and Nov. 1, and generally take a few weeks to complete.
We encourage you and your family to review information on our cemetery clean-ups, and in particular, please review items not allowed within our cemetery rules and regulations. You can also check our blog regularly and or sign up for our monthly newsletter to stay up-to-date on our clean-up announcements and avoid further disappointment. It is not our intent to disappoint our families, rather we make every intent to keep our cemeteries safe and beautiful for all our visitors.
May peace and blessings be with you and your family.
It is very unfortunate that this information was not posted at the cemeteries as some items that were NOT Christmas decorations, items that had been there for the past 5 years, were removed from my father’s monument. Had a sign been posted I would have made a point of removing them myself. I only stumbled upon this notice when I was looking for a phone number to call and see what had happened to these items.
Ms. Kosek,
We’re sorry to hear that you were surprised that your family items were removed during our annual Christmas/January clean-up. Our annual clean-up dates have been scheduled on the same dates for many years and are posted in our cemeteries, in our newsletter, website and social media, published in our Rules and Regulations information and brochures, and posted in community newsletters, publications and calendars.
For future reference, our annual clean-ups begin on or around January 15, April 1, and Nov. 1, and generally take a few weeks to complete.
We encourage you and your family to review information on our cemetery clean-ups and read our rules and regulations regarding cemetery decorations. You can also check our blog regularly and or sign up for our monthly newsletter to stay up-to-date on our clean-up announcements and avoid further disappointment. It is not our intent to disappoint our families, rather we make every intent to keep our cemeteries safe and beautiful for all our visitors.
Wishing you and your family many blessings this Winter and Spring.