Homecoming is an annual tradition at this time of year. The idea is to welcome back former students and residents. Most often there is a football game or other sporting event that everyone goes to. There is also often parades and the coronation of a Homecoming Queen and King. A dance commonly follows the game.

Another big part of Homecoming is the giving and wearing of Homecoming Mums. A Homecoming Mum is a large corsage decorated with streamers in school colors as well as bells, charms and furry animals.

The name Mum comes from Chrysanthemum, the traditional Fall flower used in many corsages. They say that Texas has a tradition of making bigger and more elaborate Mums than anywhere else and who can argue, given the size of these ones:

The cheerful chap on the left is probably thinking about how the money he blew on the Mum could have gone on some quality weed. However his girlfriend is happy and so he has learned one of life’s most important lessons.

[with thanks to Eileen Bergen for her knowledge of Mums, which can’t be found in Wikipedia!]