It’s Homecoming Week! Break out the mums, garters, celebrations, bonfires & cheerleaders! Yay!! Go Devils!!! I have seen a few prized mums this week, and I must say they are just as exciting to see now as they were all those years ago parading down the hallway and onto the field pinned with 4 giant safety pins to my bra strap just to keep it up.
I have always loved Football! And especially Texas Football, whether it be my favorite high school team, my alma mater or my beloved college team!! But even more exciting is Homecoming for the students and parents and of course the town football fanatics. I mean morale is high, spirit is high, the Dairy Queen is full and every florists, crafty hot glue using mom and bank account is drained!
I recently learned that mums are yet another Texas exclusive tradition. I knew I was proud of my State! I knew we were more fun than the rest! I knew if it was going to be done, it was going to be done BIG and proud! So out of curiosity I was looking up Homecoming Traditions, and I found out other states aren’t all about a mum as big as a dinner plate and heavy as a Thanksgiving Day turkey. I learned that other states simply wear a cute little corsage to the dance! The boyfriends, girlfriends, parents and friends don’t make sure you show up to Homecoming wearing a giant fake flower pinned to and your clothing making you sweat and at times trip over the very thing!
I have to speculate how this tradition even got started… so my research continued. They say what started out as a simple tradition to give your homecoming date a corsage just went way over the top down here in Texas… (I kinda rolled my eyes on this… I mean we aren’t known for that).
Here is my version… a nice looking lad showed up to the prettiest girl in school’s house to ask her to the Homecoming dance. She said, “Oh, I don’ t know, I have already been asked by a few others. I guess the one who brings me the best mum is the one I will go with”. Next thing you know you have a Homecoming tradition. I strongly believe this could be the truth. I mean, let’s think about it. First ole’ boy shows back up mum in hand. He proudly purchases with his paper route sales money. Then second fellow drives back up with his daddy’s truck and has little bigger mum he purchased with his feed store feed bag loading money. Then finally, our guy, the one challenged, arrives with a limousine, nice starched shirt tucked in, boots on, and he crawls out of the back with his daddy, momma and little sister. Momma and sister are carrying the mum that weighs as much as the family goat, and daddy has a camera is just taking pictures like his son just won the Nobel Peace Prize.
There you have it… my version of the Texas Size Mum Homecoming Tradition. It all started with a sweet young lady who wanted to see who liked her most and romantic Texas boy who decided there aren’t any boundaries to show the girl of his dreams his intent to please.
I hear the other states always say how everything is bigger in Texas. I have been to a few others, and I guess I can agree on most things being pretty big here in our great State. And one of the biggest things we show off down here is affection. We will go to any length, any measure to show the ones around us how much we like them… even if it means pinning a flower on us and parading in public.
About The Author: Barbie Driskell (Aunt B) was raised in the shade of pine trees of East Texas. “I am very proud of my roots, just like a pine tree, may not be deep but they sure take over when left to their own devices. I smile frequently, laugh genuinely and live simply.”
