| m-link"> | | | | students. Designs change every year. The more |
| > You have permission to publish this article | | | | original,the better. If you’re a crafter and |
| electronically | | | | live in Texas or Oklahoma, youshould be in |
| > or in print, free of charge, as long as you | | | | seventh heaven. You can make homecoming |
| include the | | | | mums for yourselfor your favorite high school |
| > author's bio and any links, then send an email to | | | | student at a fraction of the retail price. |
| > with a courtesy copy of your | | | | Even the boys are getting into this fad. |
| > publication or link to your web page | | | | They’ve started wearinghomecoming |
| Homecoming Mums: A Southwestern Tradition | | | | garters on their sleeves. If you craft for profit, |
| By Eileen Bergen | | | | the highmargins make homecoming mums a very |
| It’s homecoming season across the nation, | | | | attractive seasonal craft. |
| but only in parts of | | | | Homecoming Mums: The Tradition |
| Texas and Oklahoma, is it also "homecoming | | | | Chrysanthemums have long been the |
| mum season". Somestudents take homecoming | | | | quintessential Fall flower, so it’snot |
| mums just as seriously as thehomecoming | | | | surprising that they quickly became associated |
| football game itself. | | | | with thequintessential Fall sport — football. |
| For the uninitiated, a homecoming mum is an | | | | In the earliest pictures ofcollege football games, |
| oversize mum corsagedecorated with three-foot | | | | you can pick out the mum corsages worn by |
| long streamers in the school colors,bells, charms, | | | | theyoung women in the stands. |
| banners, little plush animals done up in | | | | Since everything grows big in Texas, it’s |
| bows,sparkly letters, even Christmas tree lights. It | | | | also not surprising thatthe Lone Star State is |
| is usually wornin the middle of the chest like a | | | | credited with developing the more |
| breastplate with the streamersflowing down the | | | | elaboratecorsages known as homecoming mums. |
| front of the body almost touching the ankles. | | | | In the 1960’s, these wonderfulconcoctions |
| It is, in short, a fashion statement. | | | | could be had there for $10. Ahh, the good ol |
| But homecoming mums are so much more than | | | | days. |
| that. They are a signthat somebody loves you. | | | | Over the years, mums were cultivated to grow |
| They’re no longer given only by | | | | bigger and bigger and thecorsages grew and |
| boyfriends. | | | | grew. Today, the silk flower has replaced the |
| Mums can come from friends, your mom, dad, | | | | livechrysanthemum as the centerpiece for |
| aunt, or even a boosterboy (a boy-friend who is | | | | homecoming mums. With silk flowers,the only size |
| not your date). Anybody who's anybody | | | | limit to homecoming mum corsages is the size of |
| wearsone, or two. | | | | the wearer! |
| These days, a homecoming mum can cost up to | | | | Now a homecoming mum can be saved as a |
| $100 and weigh as muchas 12 pounds! | | | | keepsake or recycled into nextyear’s new |
| Homecoming mums have become a status | | | | unique corsage. |
| symbol for many junior high andhigh school | | | | |