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W
hen a Texan teenager describes their personalized mum or garter it may seem that we are crazy. We are not crazy teenagers. Weird maybe, but not crazy. Homecoming traditions are no different than the traditional ugly Christmas sweater parties that are around the corner. It is the only time of year that teenagers can wear something extremely large, loud and fun.
Homecoming 101: Homecoming is a tradition held in September and October to welcome back alumni during a home football game. Homecoming is hosted during what is called Spirit week. During spirit week, each school day is a themed day such as sock it to them day, tacky day and super hero day. Hallways are brightly decorated in school colored posters and banners. Girls are sporting their custom fabric painted spirited denim overalls. Football players are pumped and it is the busiest week for cheerleaders. The week consists of King and Queen nominations and leading up to the pep rally. The week ends with a coronation during half-time at the football game, followed by the annual Homecoming dance on Friday night. Student body casts their ballots and select their Senior King and Queen by how much the candidates have contributed to the school community. King and Queens are asked to return to the following Homecoming night as Alumni to crown their successor. So what is the highlight of Homecoming? It is all about the Mums and Garters of course! Many moons ago, Mums started as a simple chrysanthemum flower and was a gift from a guy to a girl. Guys also strut their sprit and wear smaller mums on their arms called garters. If a guy is dating a girl, it is tradition that the guy will buy the mum for his girlfriend and it is custom that his garter is created to match his sweethearts. Fast forward to the modern times. You do not need to be joined to the hip to receive a mum. You can make your own mum and garter and it is not complicated if you
are prepared for some hot glue drama. Garters are typically easier to assemble as they are very short version of the mum. Guys wear the garter on their right bicep. Mums are typically worn on the left side of the girl’s top and secured with one large safety pin. Mums and garters are a personal expression of a teenager and their creativity for school spirit. If you find that you are not crafty enough to staple a bunch of ribbons to a circular cardboard backing, hot glue stickers, string cowbells and add tons of tacky adornments you can get someone to make it for you. Local grocery stores, pop up shops on sides of the roads and floral boutiques offer premade garters that range from $20 -$30 and premade mums that range from $65 - $300. This is the moment when people not from Texas maybe even Dads are completely floored and asking “$300 for fake flowers, ribbons and stickers?” Mums can get costly because each year mum makers get competitively inspired to go Texas Edition to Tradition. So what in the world can value a mum at $300? It is all in the latest technology of LED lighting. You will electrify your way through the parking lot and under those bleachers at night. Aside from a trendy glow, mums include everything and anything from stuffed animals hot glued to the mum itself to single, double and triple mum arrangements. The triple mum is most popular because it is shaped as a heart and is extremely enormous covering the entire chest area. Triple mums usually require a secure back strap to hang over the neck. Mums can range from .five to 15 pounds depending on the adornments hanging from the mum itself. Mums and garters might look weird or impractical to wear but this is beside the point. Mums, garters, spirited denim overalls are all a key part of a true Texan high school experience. Homecoming is once a year and it’s a celebration of past alumni, recognition of current and motivation to future alumni. Homecoming fans, if ever asked what are you wearing just say “it’s a Texas thang ya’ll.” l
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016 TEEN
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