If you’ve been to a high school football game in Texas during homecoming season,
you’ve probably seen Mums. They’re hard to miss! Mums are large, colorful flowers
(often fake these days) decorated with long ribbons, trinkets, charms, and sometimes
even lights or teddy bears. They’re usually worn by girls, while boys wear smaller
versions called “garters”. But how did this tradition get started, and why has it become
such a big deal?
The History of Mums
The tradition of homecoming mums in Texas actually started
with real chrysanthemum flowers. In the early 1900s, boys would give these flowers to
their dates as a simple token for homecoming. But as the years went on, Texans began
to add ribbons to the flowers, then decorations, and soon the mums started growing in
size and creativity. Over time, real flowers were replaced with artificial ones so the
mums could last longer. Now, mums aren’t just a small part of homecoming; they’ve
become a tradition of their own.
How Mums have changed
Back when the tradition began, mums were simple and
small. But today, they’re massive, sometimes bigger than a person’s chest, and often
covered in school colors, glitter, and lights.Some even have stuffed animals, bells, and
long ribbons that drag on the ground. The average mum today can cost anywhere from
$50 to over $300, depending on how fancy it is.
A Look Behind the Scenes
To find out what it’s like to make a mum, I spoke with two
students, Samuel Padilla, 11th grade, Sara Johnson, 10th grade, who shared their
experiences.
Sara, a 10th grader, is already planning her mum for next year’s high school
homecoming. “ Everyone wants theirs to be the biggest and coolest. You work on it for
weeks. I think the best part is seeing how creative people can get.”Sara said her older
sister made a mum with lights that flashed her initials. “She spent hours on it, but it was
worth it”.
Samuel, a 11th grader, said he’s already excited to make a garter for next year as
well.”I always saw mums but never got why people made them, until I saw one up close
and thought they were cool, I decided to get one this school year.”
For students like Sara and Samuel, making mums isn’t just a tradition, it’s a way to
express themselves and show school spirit. Even though the tradition has changed over
time, the excitement of creating something unique and sharing it with their school and
friends has remained the same.