We all know that one day each year when students parade the halls with their extravagant homecoming mums and garters. The sound of bells clashing as the ribbons are tossed around as students pass through the hallway.

For those who didn’t attend high school in Texas, this tradition might seem foreign and strange, but here in the lone star state, they are a staple in most students’ high school careers.

Every fall semester, students anxiously count the days until their school’s homecoming week. According to Texas Highways, homecoming mums are said to have first appeared in Texas in the early 1930s.

Although these mums are now mostly seen in Texas, some people claim that the traditions of wearing a homecoming mum to the game originated at the first homecoming football game in Missouri.

Years ago, the mum was a real Chrysanthemum with small ribbons flowing from the bottom. Since then, most have switched to artificial flowers which proved to be less temporary.

According to ABC 13, From this tradition stemmed another tradition of exchanging homecoming mums and garters. A garter is the smaller mum men wear around the arm, given by the girl.

Since their introduction, these homecoming mums have become larger and more elaborate.  These modern mums are decked out with intricate ribbons, large cowbells, charms, lights, and stuffed mascots.

According to Texas Heritage, these extravagant mums can weigh up to 20 pounds and cover the entire torso. Some homecoming mums can cost upwards of three hundred dollars.