Fall in Texas means the rolling in of football season. With daily dress up days, the jingling sounds of mums in the hallways and spirited decorations around the school comes everyone’s most anticipated event of the season: Homecoming. If you’re new to homecoming and its festivities, check out the list below to learn what it’s all about.
The Beginning
Homecoming started at The University of Missouri in 1911. The tradition then spread to other universities and high schools who now celebrate it yearly.
Mums
One homecoming tradition encompasses the wearing of mums. Mums, short for chrysanthemums, include huge, artificial flowers with ribbons, colored trinkets, feathers, bells and in some cases, flashing LED lights spelling out their name or school. This custom started around the 1950s when boys asked their date out to homecoming with a chrysanthemum. Over time, these flowers became more elaborate, and some say they will just keep getting bigger.
Alumni
Homecoming occurs during a week of football season to celebrate your school. At this game, the alumni are invited to “come home” to reconnect with their old high school and classmates and cheer their former football team on.
Not Just Texas
Mums started as a distinct Texas custom, but in the last couple of years, neighboring states such as Oklahoma and Louisiana have adopted the tradition as well.
Festivities
Homecoming week festivities include a football game, pep rally and daily dress up days which invite you to show school spirit.
No date? No problem.
Although a mum is usually received from a date, friends can give one to you as well and vice versa. You can include their names on your mum by adding sparkly letter stickers on one of your ribbons.
Mum Basics
Each flower on a mum represents your graduating class. Freshman have one flower, sophomores have two flowers, juniors have three flowers, and seniors have large all-white mums.
Court
Electing a homecoming court originated in the 1930s and since then has become a tradition. You can find the list of this year’s court below.
Freshmen
Lauren McDonald
Landon Hawkins
Sophomores
Ashton Williams
Robert Reagan
Juniors
Wendy Cantu
Clayton Franks
Seniors
Rylee Cortines
Isabel Flores
Amanda Haddock
Kasie Haemaker
Abby Loudrigues
Brandon Beasley
Kendall Catalon
Eric Cyganowski
Ethan Redding
Pedro Rocha
