Homecoming

Homecoming means tradition. I think that's why I love it so much. The whole week is filled with events and contests, all kinds of parades and goings on are planned for gameday, and I am eating it all up. At the end of last week, one of my new acquaintances from Georgia asked if my high school did anything special for homecoming. I told him we have a football game, dance, mums - he stopped me here. "What?" Well, I thought nothing of it since we were on a bus and it was pretty loud, so I just repeated myself - mums. Still no sign of comprehension at all. A thought slowly crept its way across my brain: could he not know what a Homecoming Mum is? Frightened of the answer, I timidly asked if his school gave mums. The answer I received was a definite no.

While busy trying to comprehend the mere fact that not every high school in the world gives mums at homecoming, I frantically tried to explain the concept. A few days later, I experimented by asking some Georgia girls, "You had mums for homecoming, right?" Blank stares. Two more days have passed, and I think I've finally managed to lift my jaw high enough from the floor to explain one of the many differences between Georgia and Texas: Homecoming Mums.

Boys give girls mums for homecoming. A mum is an explosion of ribbons and baubles and trinkets and glitter and stickers and knick knacks and braids and twists all hanging from a cloth flower with a teddy bear (or something similar) hanging out in the middle. Usually, the hangy downies that are attached to the ribbons display the activities that you and your date are involved in. On one ribbon your name is spelled out in glittery stickers, and on another, your date's. Mums usually hang down to your knees, or beyond. They are made in your school colors, except for seniors, who can have all white and silver mums. Mums are worn pinned to your shoulder.

Girls give boys garters for homecoming. A garter is a smaller explosion of the aforementioned and is worn around the bicep area.

Cheerleaders and Drill Teamers have multiple mums each, and wear them on special felt apparati called harnesses. If you don't look like Cousin It made from ribbons, you need another mum.

And that is Homecoming done Texas style.