DIY Homecoming Mums

DIY Homecoming Mums is happening at the Windsor Park Branch Library on Saturday, September 5. It's a workshop for making your own homecoming mum, and the library provides all the materials, so you don't have to bring a thing.

If you're not from around here, the homecoming mum is a Texas high school football tradition that goes back to 1911, the year of the first-ever homecoming game. It started simply enough—a chrysanthemum flower adorned with ribbons to show school spirit—but it's grown into something entirely different. These days, a mum is a fake flower festooned with yards of ribbon, glitter, and countless trinkets. The high-end ones can cost more than $1,000, which is exactly why doing it yourself makes a lot more sense. At the workshop, you'll get to build one from the ground up, adding your own ribbons and decorations until it's exactly how you want it.

It's a great way to get into the spirit of the season without spending a fortune on a pre-made one. The library handles the supplies, so you can just show up and start creating. The workshop is at the Windsor Park Branch Library, 5833 Westminster, in East Austin, on Saturday, September 5.