mum stories
Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about homecoming mums, one blog post at a time
inspired by the book MUMENTOUS by Amy J. Schultz
Mumentous TLTR Cultural Heritage Panel Exhibit at Carrollton Public Library through October 31, 2026
Visit the Josey Ranch Lake Library in Carrollton this fall to view MUMENTOUS and explore the big, bold traditions of high school homecoming mums in Texas.
What is a Homecoming Mum in Texas?
If you have a wearable flower that is embellished with a spirited array of ribbons and trinkets, you probably have yourself a homecoming mum.
What goes on a homecoming mum?
Embellishments within a homecoming mum are all about Texas swagger, personal taste, local traditions, and individual style.
What the made-up word “MUMENTOUS” means and other questions about writing a book
The most meaningful part of Mumentous was the moment I first wrote my own mom into the story. It was not something I expected or planned to do. She passed away a few years before I began working on Mumentous, so it was really nice to spend time with her again.
Read a chapter from the book, MUMENTOUS
This century-long evolution of what it means to “go” to homecoming (mums included) has been a long, slow burn stoked by Texas teenagers being teenagers living in the present.
Is MUMENTOUS about more than homecoming mums?
Women are society’s tradition-keepers, so whether we’re talking about mums or Christmas trees or packing up the kids to go to Grandma’s house every year, chances are there’s a matriarch making it all happen.
Why I wrote a book about homecoming mums
Yeah, so why did I write a book about the homecoming mum tradition in Texas?