Texas Teens Reveal How Much Their Homecoming Mums Cost in Viral TikTok
Elizabeth Cleaver/The Mum Queen
We aren't kidding when we say that everything is bigger in Texas.
That's especially true when it comes to a high school tradition known almost exclusively to the Lone Star State: homecoming mums. Mums started out as a simple corsage made up of one or two chrysanthemums—the classic flower of fall—and maybe a few ribbons to show school pride at homecoming events. These days, however, mums have little to do with the actual flower. Instead, these elaborate floral arrangements have become a rite of passage for Texas teens, and the bigger the better.
Today's mums are usually made up of some combination of oversized silk flowers, ribbons, bows, feathers, sequins, charms, stuffed animals, photographs, and glittery letters all attached to a backing and hung around the neck. Frequently, they're made in school colors and will display the wearer's interests and personality. Boys wear smaller versions called garters on elastic bands on their arms.
As Cecilia Valudos, co-owner of C&C's Floral Events, Homecoming Mums and Supplies outside Dallas told The Wall Street Journal back in 2017: "Our motto is that your mum can never be too big, just like a diamond."
Related video: The most Googled flowers in every southern state
Like all things, the more elaborate the mum, the more it costs. But just how much the modern mum goes for might shock you.
Recently, Corpus Christi resident Rachel Ritualo posted a video on TikTok showing just how expensive mums are. In the now-viral video (below), she asks a handful of her classmates at Tuloso-Midway High School how much each of their mums cost.
One of the mums was nearly $500, while most fell between $200 and $300. Another cost a modest $20.
In just a few days the video has racked up more than 3 million views.
"Wait, other states don't have mums?" one incredulous Texan asked in the comments.
"I need to get into the mum selling business," another joked.
WATCH: Why Texas Homecoming Corsages Are So Big
Lola Thayer, who makes mums in Waco, told KXXV that this season has been record-breaking for orders, noting that business slowed down considerably during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"I think for the kids it's making them feel like, whether they are 8th graders or seniors, it's making them feel like 'I finally get to be a kid again," she told the station. "We kind of lost that over the past two years of COVID-19."
