A fine Texas tradition...

For the past couple of months I have noticed these extravagant creations in all the grocery and craft stores. I could not understand why anyone would want to buy something like this, and assumed that no one would. Apparently I was wrong. . . Deb and Tanner came to visit us last weekend, and we decided to go to the Homecoming game of the number 1 high school team in Texas. Much to my surprise, nearly all of the students were wearing these things on their chests like an oversized corsage gone terribly wrong! Some were small and simple with just the traditional carnations and ribbons, but some were elaborate with bells and lights (all done in the school's colors, of course). It became mine and Deb's mission to discover what in the world they were wearing these things for. After much speculation we finally asked the lady sitting behind us at the game what it was all about. She laughed and said, "Y'all aren't from Texas, are you?" Homecoming mums are a huge Texas tradition. I guess you give them to your girlfriend/boyfriend, friend, date, etc. as a token of affection. At Homecoming you then get to wear the awkward things, on your chest if you're a girl and on your arm if you're a guy. We decided it was kind of a Johnny Lingo type thing, only instead of being a 10 cow wife you were a 10 carnation girl/boy with a big stuffed animal pinned to the middle and bells jingling and Christmas lights flashing. The bigger your Homecoming mum, the better you are. For example, the Homecoming queen's mum was so huge that you couldn't even see her dress! Just imagine wearing a corsage that weighed about 10 pounds! I enjoyed looking at all the different mums, and I suppose I shouldn't laugh and make fun. Who knows, we may end up staying here in Texas and 16 years down the road I could find myself trying to make the biggest and bestest mum for Max's girlfriend. . . I kind of hope not. . .