Freshman Homecoming Mums: Traditions, Ideas, and Texas-Sized Spirit

Homecoming season in Texas is more than just football games and alumni reunions. It's a vibrant cultural phenomenon marked by the tradition of homecoming mums. These elaborate floral creations have evolved from simple chrysanthemum corsages into extravagant displays of school spirit and affection. For those unfamiliar with Texas traditions, understanding the world of homecoming mums can be an exciting and slightly overwhelming experience.

The Evolution of a Texas Tradition

The exact origins of the homecoming mum tradition are somewhat obscure. Oral history suggests the tradition began around the 1950s. Post-World War II prosperity and the seasonal availability of chrysanthemums led high school boys to gift chrysanthemum corsages to their dates for homecoming. These early mums were relatively simple, featuring real flowers and a few ribbons.

However, in true Texas fashion, things soon escalated. The single chrysanthemum transformed into larger silk ribbon creations, adorned with teddy bears, flashing lights, and even air horns. Today, mums can be bought pre-made for hundreds of dollars, or lovingly crafted at home.

According to Texas Highways, the first mums were worn at a Missouri homecoming in 1911. The tradition gained popularity in Texas in the 1930s when Baylor University hosted the state's first homecoming celebration. Back then, a mum was a simple chrysanthemum with a few ribbons pinned to a girl's clothing. Nowadays, the gaudier the better, with real flowers replaced by artificial ones to create a lasting keepsake.

What Exactly is a Mum?

A homecoming mum is essentially an elaborate corsage. The word "mum" is short for "chrysanthemum," the flower that traditionally anchors the entire arrangement. While the specifics vary by high school, mums are generally worn to homecoming activities like parades, pep rallies, and football games. Mums are almost always worn on the front of the body.

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Beyond the flower, a mum consists of various materials. Ribbons are the most common, providing movement, color, and texture. One set of ribbons surrounds the flower, while another set streams down, often reaching knee-length. The ribbons offer opportunities for personalization, with stamped patterns, looping, and braiding. Many students also add their name and their date's name to the ribbons.

Freshman Mums: A Starting Point

As a freshman, your mum typically carries one chrysanthemum. Generally speaking, senior mums are the biggest, most charismatic, and most open to the interpretation of the wearer. Freshman mums are the smallest (single mum), sophomore mums are a little bigger (single or double mum, depending on the school), and junior mums are a little bigger still (double or triple mum), and all three tend to stick closely to the school color palette and other long-held norms.

Embellishments and Personalization

Beyond ribbons, homecoming mums often include a variety of embellishments. Trinkets, such as miniature sports equipment, mascots, and graduation year charms, add personalization. Bells, ranging from tiny to cowbells, provide an audio component. Teddy bears, often customized, are another popular addition.

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.

Conventions vs. Rules

It's important to distinguish between conventions and rules when it comes to homecoming mums. Conventions are the ways things are usually done, while rules are regulations. The homecoming mum tradition is largely based on convention, with few hard-and-fast rules. These conventions can also vary from high school to high school.

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Making Your Own Mum

Creating your own homecoming mum can be a fun and rewarding experience. Start with a modest size and gather your supplies. You'll need a flower (artificial, of course), ribbons, trinkets, bells, and a backing material. Let your creativity flow and personalize your mum to reflect your interests and school spirit.

If you’re going to make your own mum, GET CREATIVE. I recommend you start by visiting your local craft or fabric store or, if you’re lucky enough to live near one, a specialty retailer or wholesaler. No matter the city or town, the local mum supply shop is owned by people who live where they work, love what they do, and contribute greatly to their community’s spirit and economy. All you have to do is ask, and they’ll flood you with endless knowledge of local high school history and customs (what do sophomore mums and garters at DHS look like?), popular mum trends (are Bridgerton style mums still popular with seniors?), and DIY hot tips (which stapler works the best?) The answers to these questions are not only interesting but will save you time, frustration, and money, and I promise that the experience of walking through aisles and aisles of homecoming mum supplies will stick with you.

Before you go, check to see if the store is open to the public or by appointment only. Prefer to shop online? Search for “homecoming mum supplies near me”, but beware of misleading search results.

Purchasing a Mum

If DIY isn't your thing, plenty of professional mum makers can create a masterpiece for you. Costs vary depending on size and accessories, ranging from affordable to extravagant.

The Garter Tradition

Lest you think guys are off the hook, they often wear a garter on their arm that matches their date’s mum. 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.

The Cost of a Mum

Cost depends greatly on intricacy and size, but the price for a high-end mum can go north of $1,000, reports Texas Highways. That’s pretty incredible when you consider where it all started. In 2025, the average cost for a homecoming mum was between $75 and $500. This doesn’t tell the whole story. Why such a big price range? You already know the answer.

Where to Wear Your Mum

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. Homecoming mums (and garters) are worn to the homecoming game. In many high schools, students are also permitted to wear their mums to classes during homecoming day and to other related events like pep rallies.

Mums Beyond Texas

As mums grew in popularity throughout the latter half of the 20th century, the tradition spread into neighboring states like Oklahoma and Louisiana and beyond. Today’s Texas-style homecoming mums are what you get when a tradition evolves in a football-loving state as preposterously prosperous, complex, and spirited as Texas.

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