While Homecoming may be celebrated with parades and floats representing school clubs elsewhere, in the south, mums are the way to go. Originally, mums were flowers given by a boy to his date for the Homecoming dance. However, between the 1970s and 1990s, that all changed.

Today, mums are decorated with feet of silk ribbon, trinkets, and stuffed animals. Students put their name on it and items that represent their school spirit and extracurriculars. Garters a smaller version of mums. They are given to the boy from the girl.

When synthesized mums became popular, an entire market opened up for florists. Mothers across the country have opened up seasonal retail stores and have created a multi-million dollar industry of cottage mum makers.

Some mums weigh 20-30 pounds and need dog harnesses to support them. These can cost up to $500. However, these gargantuan creations aren’t for everyone. More inexpensive mums are sometimes made by school organizations. Here at Texas High, the Horticulture Club makes these products of an honored tradition. Kim Spaulding is the sponsor for the club.

“[Making mums] falls under floraculture, which falls under the agriculture umbrella,”  Spaulding said. Horticulture also makes all of the mums for the homecoming court.

The club has already started selling mums, and they are available to public in the Agriculture building at any time. Mums cost $45-$60 and garters are $40 or $45. Do-it-yourself mums can cost from $15-$30.

The personalization of mums make them incredibly memorable.

“I feel that mums are a special part of homecoming and can mean a lot to the people giving and receiving them” said senior Cooper Zverina, “I still have mine from freshman homecoming and it’s hanging on the wall in my room.”