Can someone explain Homecoming ribbons to me? (sale, layoffs)

[chris4t4]

I don't yet have a high schooler and I went to high school in another state. So, in HEB I saw a big stand with these gigantic bows and ribbons. on facebook there is a friends daughter wearing this gigantic thing but not every student had one on.

I'm just wondering what they are and who wears them, where to and why?

[capcat]

They are, of course, for homecoming games. Ribbons are the school colors and they're usually custom decorated with various things...megaphone, drill team boot, whatever the girl is involved in. They're worn on the day of the homecoming game and to the game that night, given by parents, boyfriends, etc. You get one if you're given one, or that's the way it was when I was in high school. Back then, ribbons, bows etc. were attached to real mums. Today, most use artificial.

[Maliades]

It's a southern thing, I think. Other states don't do it. My mom used to make them, you get a big cardboard disc and hot glue the ribbons and other decorations to it, then glue the mum onto the cardboard disc. They can get very heavy and expensive, but you can buy everything you need at a Hobby Lobby or other craft store.

[CarnivalGal]

Originally Posted by chris4t4

I don't yet have a high schooler and I went to high school in another state. So, in HEB I saw a big stand with these gigantic bows and ribbons. on facebook there is a friends daughter wearing this gigantic thing but not every student had one on.

I'm just wondering what they are and who wears them, where to and why?

I don't get them either...and I've lived here for 19 years now.

[jterrell]

I had never heard of them until I saw this thread, so I did a little Googling and found out about them. The exact term is "homecoming mums."

http://www.theartfulcrafter.com/homecoming_mums.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homecoming#Mums

It's regional things like this that make America so interesting.

[AGA]

I did not have them in Tennessee! I thought they were kinda goofy at first, but now i am beginning to see the appeal! A few more years and I will have highschoolers

[maadimom]

Back in the day...not saying which one...they were made from real mums. I remember the year I got a triple mum from my boyfriend, and a double from the boy on the football team that I was assigned to. I could barely stand up. It was more than a bit ridiculous, but I thought I was hot stuff for sure!

[iceshots]

Coming from Canada last year, the mums were a real surprise. Fortunately we were warned in advance and were able to buy my daughter a mum through the school group that was making them. That way she did not end up being the only girl on the drill team walking around at the homecoming game without a mum. After being in school only 6 weeks she did not have a boyfriend or other in school person to have bought it for her.

Seeing the girls at the game was amusing. Some had two or three mums and did look like they were having a hard time walking around. A lot wore one, and pinned the rest to their kit bags. But they all showed them off with pride.

The boys had garters to wear around their arms with ribbons and other items.

If you take a close look at the mums, they are actually a biography of the person who is receiving it. Most will have the person's name on one ribbon, and you add other ribbons to identify the activities they engage in, and their interests. Graduating class is also an important ribbon.

This year she had our mum, and her new football player boyfriend's mother made her a triple mum. That one included his football number so the territorial boundaries were clearly understood by all.

All in all I found the whole homecoming event to be quite colorful and entertaining. The homecoming court and King and Queen were actually a very small part of the whole thing.

I think this is a good example of fitting in with the new culture you have moved in to. I hope a tradition like this does not get watered down or lost by newcomers moving in who do not know about it and do not participate either out of disinterest, or being uninformed.

[Salgal1113]

Ok, here's one that may date me. . . back in "my" day, there were ribbons (slightly larger than a bookmark) that were sold each week, usually by the pep squad (they were maybe 25 cents). They were the school colors, and featured "bash the Broncos" or "spear the Tarpons" or something like that for the week's opponent. We wore them pinned to our school clothes, and sometimes had friends sign them. Homecoming brough much larger ribbons, that cost $1 or so. Anybody else remember those?

My kids look at me like "poor Mom" when I mention them. . .

[ROY DUBOSE]

Originally Posted by Salgal1113

Ok, here's one that may date me. . . back in "my" day, there were ribbons (slightly larger than a bookmark) that were sold each week, usually by the pep squad (they were maybe 25 cents). They were the school colors, and featured "bash the Broncos" or "spear the Tarpons" or something like that for the week's opponent. We wore them pinned to our school clothes, and sometimes had friends sign them. Homecoming brough much larger ribbons, that cost $1 or so. Anybody else remember those?

My kids look at me like "poor Mom" when I mention them. . .

i do -- some called them spirit ribbons or "beat tags" as in beat the opponent of the week -- the further a school went into the playoffs the larger the ribbons -- as i recall, they didn't go on sale until friday morning just before pep rally and that was THE day to get to school early so you wouldn't be left without one all day -- of course we wore 'em to the ball game that night -- so many school aged kids today don't know what it's like to be part of a community