Mum's The Word

We recently attended the local high school's Homecoming Football game -- Friday night high school football is quite the event around here, made even more prestigious by the fact that the stadiums here are like smaller college stadiums. Anyway, I've been educated about a local tradition, the "Homecoming MUM" -- yes, as in the flower, Mum. For Homecoming, students, faculty, parents, grandparents, other interested parties are presented with Homecoming Mums, an artificial flower adorned with many, many ribbons -- all in the appropriate school colors. On the ribbons are ornaments or words representing all the important things you are in life (good athlete, gifted musician, Homecoming court, cheerleader -- so far I am "0" for "4"). Grandparents attending the football game to cheer their little darlings get grandparent recognitions on their mums. Apparently, the bigger the better, the more important you are. And yes, these are worn pinned on the lapel or front of your shirt or jacket. Ok, if this all sounds a little weird to you, like it does to me, just one more fact -- even the GUYS wear these, although my own personal survey (visual) indicates that they are losing favor among the male population (thank goodness).

So, our team lost, but we had a fun time at the game. And I am no longer Mum-dumb.