A grave blanket is a close cousin of the Christmas wreath. It's an arrangement of evergreen cuttings, in rectangular shape, that is placed over the grave of a loved one during the Christmas season.

Anders Zanichkowsky weaves burial shrouds for people who expect to live for decades. Through daily use, the cloth gains a lifetime of meaning and memories.

Every holiday, nurseries and flower stores advertise grave blankets. What are they? And where did they come from?

No one is exactly sure where they started, but the tradition of grave blankets is long-established in the metro region.