Last Friday, thousands of excited Lewisville fans were greeted with an incredible (and unusual) sight. An enormous, maroon- and white-clad homecoming mum was hoisted in front of the stadium, towering its celebratory decorations for all attendees to see. The mum—created by Lewisville students— is poised to break the Guinness world record for largest ever made.
A popular staple in Texas High School Football, the homecoming mum was introduced locally in the 1930s and was traditionally a corsage decorated by chrysanthemums. Now, mums are a spectacle, decorated as the user see fits. Adornments can include ribbons, toys, bells, glitter, lights, and many more.
At 37.5 feet long, Lewisville’s record-breaking mum measures roughly 290-square-feet. The base was made of plywood and chicken wire, and featured hundreds of feet of ribbon, nearly a thousand faux flowers, Christmas ornamentation, a foam finger, and many tiny trinkets featuring the Lewisville logo. Best of all, a pink braided ribbon was donated from the previous Guinness record holder, and incorporated into the record-breaking mums design.
Lewisville students spent nearly two months constructing and painting the mum. The tally was $800, supported by community member donations through an online wishlist. The size was determined by staff at the University of North Texas, measuring with both a laser device and tape measure. The mum will be displayed in a glass case.
Lewisville ended up getting the homecoming victory, defeating Plano 42-10.
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