Katy Homecoming Mums: A Newcomers Guide to the Fun Tradition

KATY MAGAZINE NEWS

September 6, 2024

By Natalie Cook Clark

Along with football season comes the days where Katy newcomers are baffled by our Texas-sized mums. It may be strange to newcomers learning the tradition, but the ribbons and bells have become as symbolic of the homecoming festivities as football.

All pictures courtesy of Sterling’s Homecoming Mums and Garters.

Mums Grow in Size and Creativity

Welcome to Homecoming Season Katy! This is a time of tradition and celebration amongst the nine Katy ISD high schools; the students, staff, and alumni. Perhaps one of the most recognizable symbols of the festivities are the mums and garters. These large collections of ribbons and trinkets can often times be a shock to Katy newcomers. 

“So many people are taking their Creativity and Individuality on a whole new level, which in turn makes things bigger and better,” says Sterling Greene, owner of Sterling’s Homecoming Mums and Garters. “There are now endless possibilities of making a beautiful mum creation.”

Greene started making mums in 2020 for her daughters and when they graduated, she knew she wanted to continue. For 24 years she’s been following trends and helping Katy students personalize their homecoming experience with all that creative bling.

Girls wear mums and boys wear garters (though this has seen some changes lately) to school the Friday of their school’s Homecoming and then also to the football game that night.

The tradition dates back to the very first homecoming held at Katy High School when a mum was a simple flower to now when mums and garters are made of silk flowers and have evolved into a spectacle of trinkets and bling. 

“I am blown away by how big some of these mums can get, but I think kids really love to stand out in this creative way,” says Greene. “Newcomers are always asking questions about etiquette.”

Mum, Garter Rules to Know

While mums and garter designs continue to get bigger and more intricate, there are certain rules that remain.

• Freshman and Sophomores are decorated with school colors

• Juniors are decorated in silver and white

• Seniors are decorated in gold and white, though some senior ladies have opted for rose gold as a trend lately

• Colors can be mixed to indicate the grade level of a date

• School colors are mixed when dates attend other schools

• Girls may wear two mums if one represents a performance group like drill team

  
  

As the mums get bigger, students have had to work to accommodate the weight. In recent years, decorated overalls have become nearly as spirited as the mums. Girls use overall straps to help hold up the weight of their over-sized mums. To accommodate the size and weight some mums now are worn over the neck like a necklace rather than pinned.

The More Unique, the Better

“Over time I have seen mums becoming more and more personalized for the person receiving the mum or garter,” says Greene. “Not just with trinkets, but with personalized cut-outs made from cardstock and vinyl. I always ask my customers to give me all the details of the person receiving the mum, because I can make anything and make it as personalized as they want.”

The more unique, the better and Katy students understand creativity! From hot wheel cars that look like a student’s ride to full-size plush mascots, like tigers for Katy Tigers. There is really no limit to what students can put on their creations.

“I was asked to make a Harry Potter themed garter,” says Greene. “I have been asked to add a memorial of a guy’s dog who had passed. I have been asked to add different country flags, because the recipient was from another country. I was even asked to add a pickle to a mum, because she LOVES pickles.”

Long gone are the days where only those students with homecoming dates get mums and garters.

“It’s about spirit. If students don’t have a date they still want to share that spirit with friends. Parents or siblings can order mums or garters,” says Greene.

While many shops around Katy started like Sterling’s Homecoming Mums and Garters, some shops are located at Katy schools. It’s the love for this tradition and creativity that keeps bringing volunteers together, as most of the Katy ISD bands use their mum shops for fundraising. For over twenty years, the Katy High School Band has been selling mums and garters.

These creations take a lot of time and work. Greene stresses the importance of getting orders in early. Often times girls (because mums take longer) will place orders before they have a date. Then once they have a date, the couple will fill in his information.

Along with wanting to understand all the “rules,” Katy families are always asking about the cost. According to a poll of designers and shops, Katy Magazine found that the cheapest garters start at $45 while mums can start as low at $50 at some school mum shops. However, as the creativity and design skill goes up, so does that price tag. 

Sterling Greene has created mums as expensive as $500. She says that the average mum price is $160-$200 and the average garter is $135-$200.

Homecoming is a fun time for the community to come out and enjoy the traditions including, watching the parade of mums and garters students wear at the football game.

“As a Homecoming Mum creator I want everyone to be proud to show off their mum that I put so much thought and effort in, just for them. I love everything about creating detailed and specific mums and garters,” says Greene. “It is an honor.

Over the years, the jingles and in some cases music box sounds from mums and garters have become just as traditional as school cheers at football games. 

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