Free Mums for Everybody: A Fort Worth High School Keeps a Texas Tradition Within Reach

This month in Fort Worth, Western Hills High School set up a series of free mum-making sessions so that any student who wants a homecoming mum can build one — no charge, glue guns and ribbon provided. It's a small act of generosity aimed squarely at keeping one of Texas's best-loved traditions open to every kid in the hallway.

What happened

As Benbrook Life reported in early October, homecoming preparations are underway at Western Hills High School, where students can make their own mums for free. The Cougar Pride Alliance recently hosted an after-school mum-making activity, with a parent volunteer lending her creativity and experience to help students put together their homecoming creations. And it isn't a one-shot deal — students who hadn't made theirs yet got another opportunity on Saturday, October 10, at Cougar Corner, with additional sessions planned after school on October 13 and 14.

The point, plainly put: it's a chance for Western Hills students to enjoy a long-time Texas homecoming tradition without the added expense of purchasing a mum.

Why it matters

If you didn't grow up here, a quick primer: a mum is a giant ribboned corsage — bells, trinkets, braids, sometimes a teddy bear — worn for homecoming. And they are not cheap anymore. In 2026, the average cost for a homecoming mum or garter runs between $75 and $500, and a highly customized senior mum from a professional mum-maker can start at $500.

That's real money for a high schooler. Which is what makes the Western Hills approach so good: a folding table, donated supplies, and a parent who knows her way around a braid stitch can erase the price tag entirely. Nobody sits out homecoming because of a ribbon budget.

The tradition is alive and well

Mum season is humming all over the state right now. Down on the coast, KIII-TV in Corpus Christi ran a story this week on a Sinton family that has turned mum-making into a family operation — one maker there can produce about 20 mums a week during the rush, and with homecoming season in full swing, she expects that number to climb.

And the tradition still works the way it always has. Mums are worn to the homecoming game, and in many Texas high schools, students also wear their mums and garters to classes during the day and to the pep rally — which is why October hallways across the state sound faintly like a cattle drive. Afterward, most students keep their mums forever, pinned to bedroom walls or stored in keepsake boxes. The styles keep evolving, too: 2026's trends lean into texture, with braiding, loops, feather boas, bows, and ribbon chains.

What you can do about it

If your local school or booster club runs a mum-making night, show up — most of them will happily take spare ribbon, bells, and an extra set of hands. If you've never seen the spectacle in person, pick a Friday in October, find the nearest stadium, and watch the stands shimmer. Wear your colors; something from our Texas collection will do the job, and the Texas State Pride Tee pairs well with a mum, a garter, or a Frito pie from the concession stand.

And if you've got an old mum in a closet somewhere — maybe tonight's the night to take it down and let it jingle a little.

Common questions

What exactly is a homecoming mum?

It's a big, decorative corsage that Texas high schoolers wear to homecoming football games — under all the ribbon and bells is a silk chrysanthemum, plus glitter lettering, trinkets, and usually a plush centerpiece. The bigger, the better, generally speaking.

Do you need a date to wear one?

No. Friends make mums for each other, students buy or DIY their own, and parents often make or purchase their kids' mums as gifts — if you want to take part in the tradition, you don't need a date to do so.

When do students wear them?

Mums are worn to the homecoming game, and in many schools to classes and the pep rally, and sometimes in the homecoming parade — traditions vary school by school.

Reported by Benbrook Life. Details as published at the time of writing.