OK can someone please educate me about this tradition (Katy: coupons, renting)

[odinboy]

We have homecoming this week-and everyone is talking about "mums and garters" and while I have researched it and understand the concept and read up a little on the history-who gives who what and why-I guess the guys make the "mum" for their girlfriends?? And the garter for the guy?? Does everyone do it-or is it just for the boyfriend/girlfriend set?? Or is it limited to football players-someone please help me on this one cause i have never come across this before!

Thanks

[ChristieP]

No, no the guys BUY the girlfriend's mum, not make it! (Unless your're especially crafty, but most teenage boys i know are not very handy with a glue gun!) You buy mums at the local florist, and even some grocery stores sell them.

Yes, a girlfriend will buy or make her boyfriend a garter (goes on his arm) mum.

Most students will be wearing mums, and especially the football players, band, cheerleaders and drill team.

[debzkidz]

Yes, this is a Texas high school tradition. Even here in Oklahoma City, they are rare.

At my son's high school in Katy, if you had a date for any of the homecoming events, even if she was just a friend, then yes, you gave her a mum, and the bigger the better. And at their school there were rules concerning the color of the ribbons. School colors were for freshman and sophomores, silver was for juniors and gold was for seniors. They are personalized with glittered ribbons, bells, whistles, teddy bears, you name it, it can be attached to a mum. And the same goes for garters.

There was a group of moms from the band boosters that made and sold them as a fund raiser. They worked on them almost year round, building the base styles, then took orders from students for how they were to be personalized. If this gives you any idea of the how big it is, it was a school of about 2,700 students, and the moms actually made, after all expenses, over $10,000 a year profit.

[5stones]

AHHH Teaxs homecoming MUM's!! (just gooogle images and see the madness)

No, no the guys BUY the girlfriend's mum, not make it!

I guess you do not have HS kids! Yes they (or most likely thier moms!!) make the mums.
Alot of time a group of boys will get together at a house with a few moms and put them together...last year my eldest daughters date and his friends got togeter and made them solo...They were pretty funny!!
To buy a full out dec'd mum is pretty $$$$$ but Booster Clubs will sell them etc...
Michaels/Hobby Lobby sells the "starter" mum with school ribbon colors and then you add on from there...they are TACKY as all get out and the bigger the tackier the better...They personalize them with photos, stuffed animals etc...

Also alot of boyfriends/girlfriends will make them together (so the girls get exactly the mum she wants...it has to be bigger than her friends you know!!!)

But yes, if your son asks a girl to Homecoming she will be expecting a mum...a single mum will do if they are not dating. NOw, alot of school go by the tradtion of single mum for Freshman, double for Sophomores etc.... (star mums for seniors are popular!! LOL) Also some schools tradtion is that seniors have silver and white with a bit of school colors while underclassman have school colors. The HS hallways on homecoming game day...jingle jangle with bells and whistles etc...

Now, since my daughters are were not raised here they think mums are absurb...but have had boyfriends who understand that a simple "mum" is fine... my younger one last year her boyfriend did a great job and used sunflowers (her favorite flower) instead of a mum and it turned out real cute and unique.

And yes, the boys will get a garter for thier arm...some of these have gotten way out of control as well!!

Use your coupons from Michaels and Hobby Lobby because they are not cheap!!!

Now grab your hot glue gun your stapler and get mumming!!! ARGHHHHHH

[ChristieP]

My HS boyfriends were not artsy enough to make my mums, but they did buy them. I still have a couple in my closet at my parents' house... yes, the gaudy and tackier, the better!!!

[debzkidz]

My son's definitely did not make them for their dates, nor did any of their friends. Both my son's still have their garters hidden away in boxes in their closets, even though they are in college now.

[debzkidz]

Oh yeah, I forgot all about the rule about how many flowers a girl could have, based on what classification she was. I remember seeing seniors whose mums were so huge they could not even wear them.

I also remember that members of the different organizations, sometimes would all have to have identical mum. For instance, all the girls in the flag corp had to have the exact same pre-agreed upon design.

[motherhen220]

Welcome to Texas, Mum Country! It's all what everyone has described. I think the "average" cost is $75.00 for a girl's mum & about $45-55. for the guys arm band mum. It's craziness, but definitely a Texas Tradition!

[loves2read]

The more clank, glitter, and dangles the better too
it is a status thing
like renting a limo for homecoming vs driving yourself to prom or heaven's forbid--being taken by your parents...