what exactly is a homecoming mum? Traditionally, coeds wear homecoming mums (mums for short) to show school spirit and celebrate their school’s homecoming football game. Colorful ribbons surround the mum which is more likely to be artificial than real.
What is a homecoming mum for a girl?
What is a homecoming mum? The homecoming "mum" began as a sweet Texan token of affection given to a girl by her date in honor of the high school homecoming football game and surrounding events. Often in-season during the early fall months in Texas, chrysanthemums became the unofficial flower of high school homecoming events.
Why do people wear mums to homecoming dances?
Like other forms of clothing worn in honor of a social ritual (in this case, the homecoming dance) mums are a form of non-verbal communication based on symbolism that only a select group of people understands. To outsiders-non-Texans, or even just non-teenagers-they might look weird or impractical to wear. But that's not the point.
Where did the tradition of wearing mums come from?
But the tradition’s origin is largely obscure—and surprisingly, not Texan. Homecoming mums are said to have appeared in Texas during the 1930s, but the first known homecoming mums were worn in Missouri, which also hosted the first-ever homecoming football game in 1911.
How much do mums for Homecoming cost?
The colors and decorations used to make mums are personalized according to the wearer's school and interests. Because it's homecoming, mascots and school colors are popular. Although many people make their own mums with ribbons, flowers, and glue, pre-purchased mums can top $100.
What is the point of homecoming mums?
The purpose of giving and wearing homecoming mums can be summed up in one word. TRADITION. Mums are a token of affection between a boy and a girl, or between a parent and a child. Let's admit it, it is just plain FUN and it gives you the opportunity to showcase your personality and school spirit!
Are homecoming mums still a thing?
In 2020 during a pandemic and school closures and online school, are people still buying homecoming mums? The short answer is, YES they are. At least from us, and some other mum makers we know, they are.
When did homecoming mums become popular?
What started as a small chrysanthemum with just a few ribbons has evolved into an enormous Texas homecoming mum. According to The Mum Shop, homecoming mums became more elaborate in the 1970s and have since continued to grow.
Who buys the mum for homecoming?
Smaller versions, typically with ribbons about eighteen inches long, are attached to garters for boys to wear on their arm. Like a typical corsage/boutonnière exchange, a girl will typically buy her date's garter and a boy will buy his date's mum, although oftentimes parents will buy them for their sons and daughters.
Where did the tradition of homecoming mums come from?
Homecoming mums are said to have appeared in Texas during the 1930s, but the first known homecoming mums were worn in Missouri, which also hosted the first-ever homecoming football game in 1911. Some claim the tradition of wearing mums—at the time, made from real chrysanthemums—began before the 1930s.
How much does a homecoming mum cost?
How much do Homecoming Mums cost? Prices for mums can range from as low as $30 to as high as $500. It's cheaper to buy your own materials and make them yourself but you'll save time and get a perfect “Mum” if you buy one from a store.
What is the meaning behind homecoming?
Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back former students and members and celebrating an organization's existence. It is a tradition in many high schools, colleges, and churches in the United States and Canada.
What do you do with old homecoming mums?
1:0811:39What To Do With Leftover Mum Supplies? | Trista, Tried & TrueYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipMom jewelry to make the a cute little frame for my daughter. So uh she recently had signing day forMoreMom jewelry to make the a cute little frame for my daughter. So uh she recently had signing day for her soccer team so i have these three pictures this is the color of her team.
How much does a homecoming mum cost?
How much do Homecoming Mums cost? Prices for mums can range from as low as $30 to as high as $500. It's cheaper to buy your own materials and make them yourself but you'll save time and get a perfect “Mum” if you buy one from a store.
What do you do with old homecoming mums?
1:0811:39What To Do With Leftover Mum Supplies? | Trista, Tried & TrueYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipMom jewelry to make the a cute little frame for my daughter. So uh she recently had signing day forMoreMom jewelry to make the a cute little frame for my daughter. So uh she recently had signing day for her soccer team so i have these three pictures this is the color of her team.
What age is homecoming in America?
In high school, 17- or 18-year-old students in their final year are represented by a king or queen; in college, students who are completing their final year of study, usually between 21 and 23 years old. Local rules determine when the homecoming king and queen are crowned.
What is difference between homecoming and prom?
Homecoming is also much more inclusive than prom. At most schools, prom is open only to seniors and sometimes juniors, but homecoming is for all, even the underclassmen, meaning you can start enjoying the festivities as a freshman. Finally, homecoming can be a lot more casual than prom.
When did homecoming moms start?
If you live in Texas, you know there's more to homecoming than football and alumni events. The homecoming mum has risen from its humble beginnings in the 1950s and '60s to become a statement-making hallmark of high school life in the Lone Star State. We rounded up a brief history of the tradition, plus some eye-catching ideas to inspire you to craft a mum of your own.
What is the flower of homecoming in Texas?
Often in-season during the early fall months in Texas, chrysanthemums became the unofficial flower of high school homecoming events. A boy would accent a simple bloom with a few ribbons or adornments and give it to a date who would proudly wear the floral brooch to the homecoming game or dance.
How much does a mum weigh?
Today, cardboard is often replaced with plexiglass, and ornately decorated mums can weigh more than 20 pounds! The dimensions are jaw-dropping—sometimes covering a student’s entire torso—and that can make it tough for folks to maneuver through school hallways. These days, accessories aren’t limited to flowers and ribbons. Think: battery operated lights and noisemakers, airhorns, and multiple stuffed animals. Most still wear their mums to classes on the Friday of homecoming weekend, but not without complications—some schools have pushed back on the tradition, due to the distractions caused by the size and flashy nature of the mums.
Where did the tradition of moms spread?
As mums grew in popularity throughout the latter half of the 20th century, the tradition spread into neighboring states like Oklahoma and Louisiana. And as popularity grew, so did the average size of a mum. (Everything’s bigger in Texas, right?)
Can you make a mum with battery operated lights?
With battery-operated lights, there's no limit to the amount of glitz and glam possible on a handmade mum.
What does "mum" mean in Texas?
A “mum” by definition is a noun meaning “a cultivated chrysanthemum,” which is a daisy-like flower with brightly colored ornamental flowers. It is also an adjective meaning “quiet.” But in Texas it's the opposite of quiet. Over-the-top is more like it.
When did mums start?
The larger, more elaborate designs didn't hit the scene until about the 1970s, according to The Mum Shop, a leading designer for custom mums and garter in North Texas. Since then, they have continued to grow.
How much does a mum cost?
And mums aren't cheap. They can range anywhere between $30 to $500. The bigger and more elaborate they are, the heftier the price tag.
Where did the homecoming moms come from?
Homecoming mums are said to have appeared in Texas during the 1930s, but the first known homecoming mums were worn in Missouri, which also hosted the first-ever homecoming football game in 1911.
When did people start wearing mums?
Some claim the tradition of wearing mums—at the time, made from real chrysanthemums—began before the 1930s. The flower’s temporal qualities led homecoming-goers to transition to artificial flowers, which were glamorized in the ’90s.
What is a chrysanthemum in high school?
If you went to high school in Texas, you’ve seen them: extravagant faux chrysanthemums done up in glitter, lights, and stuffed mascots, with ribbons and braids trickling down. Mums—and garters, their male counterparts—are homecoming staples all over the state and a rite of passage for high schoolers. But the tradition’s origin is largely obscure—and surprisingly, not Texan.
Do mums have more than one flower?
Today, mums often include more than one flower and extend wider than the shoulders, with ribbons trailing down to the feet, so that only the wearer’s head is visible. The gaudier, the better. Garters have stayed relatively tame in size, although they’re frequently decked out in the same manner.
a little homecoming history
Texans love their football, and the highlight of each season is the annual homecoming game. Southwestern University held the first recorded homecoming celebration along the banks of the San Gabriel River in my hometown of Georgetown, Texas.
what exactly is a homecoming mum?
Traditionally, coeds wear homecoming mums (mums for short) to show school spirit and celebrate their school’s homecoming football game.
history of homecoming mums
No one knows exactly when or where homecoming mums got their start, but the Baylor Library Digital Collection gives some clues. In Baylor’s 1937 yearbook, the homecoming queen is pictured wearing a simple flower corsage.
1960s and 1970s homecoming mums
The 1960s and 1970s, saw the addition of pipe cleaners hearts and school inititials on top of the mum as well as words written on the ribbons with glitter glue or sticker letters.
1980s homecoming mums
In the 1980’s the homecoming mum tradition began to fade among college coeds. However, at high schools mums grew in size and popoularity.
1990s and beyond
Today, a young woman may receive a homecoming mum from her date, parents, or a close friend (or sometimes all three). A girl gives her date a smaller homecoming garter to wear on his arm. Some of the garters are larger than the homecoming mums girls wore back in my high school days.
What is a homecoming mum?
What is a homecoming mum? You may be thinking that the Homecoming Queen simply goes by another name in the South, or that her mother also plays a role in the festivities. Homecoming Queen and Homecoming Mum...would make sense. However, a mum refers to a unique flower collage that is deeply rooted in Texas football history.
When do you wear homecoming mums in high school?
Students typically begin wearing homecoming mums the Friday before their high school football game. All schools are different, but most students wear them only on the day before the game. Students also typically wear homecoming mums during the football game AND after to their homecoming formal dance. If you are new to Texas, check with a friend on the common practices in your community.
How much does a homecoming mom weigh?
A homecoming mum can weigh as much as 12 pounds or more! Wow! Often girls take mums off part way through the school day because they are so heavy, and exhausting, to wear!
Why do students wear mums at home?
Elementary and junior high aged students, parents of football players, allumni, and teachers may also wear homecoming mums to show team spirit, and excitement for the festivities.
Why do high schoolers give mums?
Remember, going "mum-less" can be viewed by the cruel high school crowds as an indicator of social status. So, for this reason, mothers and friends (whether boys or girls) often give homecoming mums as well.
What to include in a custom mum?
For example, a custom mum (and one that a girl would like) might include her name, school name, or graduation year. Extra details would likely describe any "extra curricular" activities that she, and her date, are involved in.
When were mums given?
The first homecoming mums were given in the early 1930's at high school homecoming football games across Texas. Boys offered real chrysanthemum flowers to their dates in the form of a corsage. A chrysanthemum is a very large, rare, and beautiful flower, and to receive one was a sure sign of flattery as well as an unusual circumstance in those times. Even early on, girls competed with one another to receive mums, as they were given out in limited quantities. Mums were a sign of popularity, so girls that received mums confirmed their social status.
What grade is homecoming mom?
In Plano, our 9th and 10th-grade campuses are getting in on the “Homecoming Mum” trend, but for those of us who are not native Texans what even are they, and where do we get them from? Can we make them ourselves if we’re of the crafty Pinterest type?
What is homecoming in high school?
Homecoming in High School is normally a week-long event to celebrate the Senior athletes.
What do boys give their date?
Traditionally, the boys give his date a wrist corsage or nosegay these days at pick-up time. At the same time, the girls give boutonniere that is pinned on the boy’s suit.
What is the homecoming dance?
The Homecoming Dance (or HOCO) is on a Saturday night and can be held at school or off-premises. Groups of friends usually get dressed up, but not formal attire, head out to dinner, and then off the dance, sometimes in a limousine.
What is the giving of the mum?
Usually, the “giving of the mum” is a photo op that parents love to share on Social Media!
When is prom season?
It is usually celebrated at the beginning of spring and the end of the school year – April to June is known as “Prom Season.”
Where is the prom?
Depending on the school organizer, the prom’s venue is either at a banquet hall or a school gymnasium. And if it doesn’t include dinner, many students make dinner plans with their dates in a small group.
How do mums communicate?
Mums can be exchanged by dates — rather like corsages and boutonnières at a formal dance — made or purchased by friends or family. Sometimes the members of certain school clubs or sports teams get matching mums. Like any piece of clothing, mums communicate complex messages about the wearer's social class and status.
What is a mum in high school?
Like other forms of clothing worn in honor of a social ritual (in this case, the homecoming dance) mums are a form of non-verbal communication based on symbolism that only a select group of people understands. To outsiders — non-Texans, or even just non-teenagers — they might look weird or impractical to wear. But that's not the point. To these girls and boys and their families, they are a key part of the high school experience.
What is a mum in a corsage?
Advertisement. The mum is to the corsage kind of as the Baz Luhrman Romeo + Juliet is to Shakespeare. Normally, mums are made with silk flowers (particularly chrysanthemums), trailing ribbons and feather boas that can reach the floor, and trinkets that represent the student's interests and activities.
What are the pins that high schoolers wear to their homecoming dances called?
High school students in Texas have developed a tradition of wearing elaborate, ever-larger floral pins to their homecoming dances. These pins — many bigger than a dinner plate and covered in artificial flowers, ribbons, and even stuffed animals — are known as mums. Texas-based photographer Nancy Newberry has a series of portraits of teenagers wearing their homecoming mums in their homes and bedrooms, and it's strangely riveting.
What does Newberry call her mums?
Newberry calls mums "Artificial, shiny and virtually unknown outside of Texas." She started her portrait series in 2007 and has been working on it intermittently ever since. "I started a bit blind, but determined," she wrote in an email. "It takes a long time to get these pictures and finding my subjects is a lengthy part of the process. It takes a lot of trust to open your home to a stranger. There may be easier ways to approach the subject, but photographically the environments are an important part of the work."
What is a mum?
Like other forms of clothing worn in honor of a social ritual (in this case, the homecoming dance) mums are a form of non-verbal communication based on symbolism that only a select group of people understands. To outsiders — non-Texans, or even just non-teenagers — they might look weird or impractical to wear.
Can you have two mums and a garter?
So you could have two mums and a garter if you were really special. It was insane.". The colors and decorations used to make mums are personalized according to the wearer's school and interests. Because it's homecoming, mascots and school colors are popular.
