What started out as a simple token of affection from a teenage boy to his sweetheart has
morphed into a tradition of gargantuan proportions that, again, proves
everything is bigger in Texas.
It's the Homecoming Mum my friends, and it's come a long way baby!
Our daughter, Elizabeth's official exchange as a Freshman.
E is wearing not only a traditional mum, but a wrist and
ring mum as well! Her date is wearing his garter mum.
Back in the day, your Homecoming mum was ONE real chrysanthemum flower with only a few attached ribbons. Basically it was a flower you pinned to your dress or blouse. I recall them oh so well, it was a thrill to receive a mum from that special someone.
E and a few friends. Notice my daughter wears her mum around her neck. She can flip it onto her back as she walks down the hall at school. E and two of her friends here are Sophomores, wearing two mums each. On the far right her friend is wearing three flowers, signifying her Junior status.
E with ATTITUDE! I love that polka dot ribbon.
Nowadays, Homecoming Mums in Texas are mammoth, over-the-top silk chrysanthemums covered with flowing ribbons, plush
animals and an array of colorful trinkets, whistles and bells that have spawned competition among
girls to see whose has the biggest and best mum. Today you can receive mums from not only your sweetheart but parents and friends as well.
Our son, Jared, and his girlfriend, Amy. This is their
exchange, Amy is a Junior here and Jared a Senior. Notice
the feather boa!
The mums of Texas are no shrinking violets. As a Freshman your mum carries one chrysanthemum, Sophomores have two and so on until as a Senior your mum has grown to four chrysanthemums. Technology has made it possible for mums to be outfitted with colorful LED lights and connections for iPods or CD players, adding splash with audio and visual capabilities.With so many features, no wonder mums can cost up to $500 if ordered from a florist. Yeah you read that correctly, bizarre but true!
The official Junior exchange of 2011, Elizabeth is SO SICK here.
She missed Homecoming last year and never even wore her mum!
This is Bradley's garter mum, he wore it to school Homecoming Day.
Bradley's mum, notice the white....Seniors wear white mums.
I added their photo, camouflage, graduation hat and a 2012
diploma. Camo signifying his future as a Texas A&M Cadet.
Not surprisingly, many girls or other family members have taken over the responsibility of making their students mum at home. There is a store here in the Dallas area that sells Homecoming supplies; ribbons, trinkets and other mum necessities. It is a veritable ZOO during the Homecoming season! Still not cheap BUT cheaper. I am so pleased to have taken advantage of making my daughter's mum. Her mums have been one of a kind and uniquely 'her'.
Elizabeth's Junior mum, heart shaped using three flowers.
Lots of sparkle, bows, braids and two stuffed bears.
These bears represent her and Bradley, they are wearing 'Pirate'
clothing...our school mascot. Her bear is carrying a french horn, she's in the band, and
Bradley's bear is carrying a gun, we knew he was headed to A&M and then onto the military.
Can you see the miniature mum on E's bear? Bradley's is wearing a miniature garter
mum....she didn't even get to wear it, such a shame.
The traditional 'exchange' of the Homecoming mum involves a boy and girl who plan
to attend the Homecoming Dance together. The boy presents a girl with a mum that quite literally reaches the floor and weighs in at almost 30 pounds. She in turn gives her date a smaller mum attached to a garter that he wears on his bicep. This exchange takes place early enough for the couple to wear their mums to school on Friday, to the Homecoming game and dance as well.
A closer look.
along with a few crystal Christmas ornaments and bows!
I'm looking forward to making Elizabeth's Senior Mum, it's just around the corner. I have ideas, fun ideas, cute ideas, unique ideas...they are hush, hush for the moment! Her boyfriend, Bradley is coming in from A&M for the occasion.....maybe he will even wear his cadet uniform! These Homecoming traditions began in Texas back in the 30's and are still going strong. They are a sign of affection from one individual to another and we embrace them whole-heartedly!
Check out a few websites and try your creative hand at mum making......you'll be glad ya did!
ENJOY!
the domestic curator ~ ronda
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