It has become one of my favorite traditions in Washington — laying of Christmas wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery.

Some 200,000 wreaths will arrive at ANC on Saturday as the gates open at 8 a.m. At 9:30 a.m. is a ceremony at the McClelland Arch, which is the brown stone arch to the left of the current entrance. It was the old entranceway.

By 10 a.m., the public will distribute wreaths around 30 sections of the cemetery. There will be a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns and John F. Kennedy’s eternal flame, too.

I’ve seen lines 50 people deep for wreaths at the trucks. The trucks are scattered through the cemetery. I suggest getting a wreath at whatever truck you see handing them out because all lines are long. If you wait to reach the trucks in the back of the cemetery they may be out. Last year about 20,000 people came to the cemetery. The weather is supposed to be a wintery mix on Saturday so the crowd will probably be less. Still, there’s very little parking at the cemetery and no tram until 1 p.m. so use metro’s blue line.

You’re asked to place a wreath in one of the designated sections or a personal loved one’s grave. Markers with the Star of David noting a Jewish person don’t receive a wreath unless requested.

Hope to see you there.