Hi everyone! I hope your weekend is going well! I apologize I haven’t been around in four days! Things were pretty hectic this week at my day job and life in general. I’m sure things will calm down and get better this week.

It’s currently the high school and college homecoming season here in El Paso and Texas…maybe even in several other parts of the U.S. Homecoming is a pretty big deal here, especially for thousands of high school seniors. One of the biggest traditions in El Paso is attending a homecoming event like a homecoming dance, pep rally and/or football game. This is also the time when alumni return to their high school (alma mater) to visit the campus and/or homecoming football game. It’s a way to show school spirit. Several high school couples who attend the festivities wear a homecoming mum or garter to school and/or their football game. A homecoming mum is for females and a garter is for males. The mum and garter are typically created to represent the couple’s likes, interests and hobbies. I thought most schools in the U.S. wore these during homecoming…however this only happens in Texas. According to a recent story in the El Paso Times, the tradition originated at the University of Missouri in 1911. The original mums contained real chrysanthemum. Years later, artificial mums were used. 

I had the opportunity to attend my senior homecoming dance with an ex-boyfriend back in 1999. The dance took place inside of my high school. I haven’t been able to find the photos but I know they’re somewhere! I remember my parents took photos of us. Unfortunately, my homecoming mum was misplaced some years back 😦 Seniors wear white homecoming mums and garters while underclassmen wear other school colors. The mums and garters range in price from $10 to over $100 depending on the size of them. Some mums even play music and include lights! Most of them have small bells, stuffed animals and of course lots of ribbon. Did/Do you participate in any homecoming festivities? If so, what was your experience like? If you’re from another country, do you have any similar traditions? Feel free to leave comments!