A Texas-sized tradition: homecoming mums

SHERMAN, Texas (KXII) - Everything’s bigger in Texas and homecoming mums are no exception. The treasured tradition dates back to the 1930s growing bigger each year.

“There’s a ton of ribbon, they are a lot fuller, there’s braids galore on there and it’s just crazy,” Owner of Annie’s Mums, Annie Marrs, said.

Especially for senior year mums, like the one Sherman High School Senior, Kayla Cruz will wear this year.

“You go extra, extra large. Mine is going to be a little bit bigger like to here,” Cruz said motioning how wide her mum will be, “Almost the same height as me.”

For those like Marrs, who make the mums, she starts taking orders long before football season kicks off. This year it was April and she will keep making them through October.

“The most that I’ve had in the year is probably 45 in a season,” Marrs said.

Marrs said a small mum can take about an hour to make but the big ones can take a full week for each one.

All of the hard work pays off when she brings the mum to the girl it was made for.

“Seeing their face, that’s probably my favorite part about making mums, is the excitement that they get when they see it,” Marrs said.

While there is much debate on why mums started to begin with, one thing is for sure, students love them.

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