Holidays bring out a lot of emotions, especially when visiting our loved ones’ graves. At Washtenong Memorial Gardens last week, family members found their Christmas decorated greens pulled from their bronze vases and stuck into the muddy ground by cemetery personnel. The vases were placed back into the gravesites (6 in all).

This was very upsetting! After 44 years of using our own vases for decorating, I was told by the office that we could not use the vases in the winter time due to the rules of the cemetery. "Whose rules?" I shouted as I walked out of the office.

The next day, I went back to retrieve my greens and vases. Office personnel came outside to me and apologized for their new policy, which I didn't care to hear.

A friend later called the office and asked if she could use her vases for decorations and was told "yes" as long as you pay $5 per grave site as a "clean-up" fee.

Interestingly, in the 1950s when the plots were purchased, it was with an understanding it was with perpetual care. According to the office now, no holiday decor can be placed on the graves without a "tag fee."

I wonder how soon it will be when Washtenong will be charging an entrance fee to even get in to pay visits to our loved ones. Forest Hills and Bethlehem are free. I have 4 plots for sale at Washtenong, anybody interested?

Suzanne Helfrich Chelsea