Madison is in high school. And with high school comes new experiences and opportunities. One of those experiences is Homecoming. Back in the day :) when I was in school, homecoming was a fun dance twice a year. We had the queen and the court. The attendants would all choose an escort from among the sports players of that season (football or basketball). The game would be Friday, the dance Saturday. We would get dressed up in something nice, usually something that we wore (or could be worn) to church. Sometimes you would go with a group of friends or sometimes you would go with a date. If it was a date, the guy would usually just ask you in the hallway or after school or maybe he would call and ask via phone.
Now, homecoming is a bit different. You still vote on the queen and attendant, but you also vote on their escorts, which can be any boy in the grade. I kinda like this shift – that the boys can be a part of things even if they aren’t in a sport. The game is still on Friday, and the dance is still on Saturday. Now, homecoming is a semi-formal event. Many girls get expensive dresses categorized by being short, sequined, and tight, often never worn again. You can still go as a group, single, or as a date. But, if a guy asks, there is some extravagant asking process – a poster with a cheesy saying, a surprise, romantic location, etc. Not to belittle to effort; it just seems over-the-top to me… like you will have nothing to offer or receive when you get engaged one day. Others differ in opinion from me, and that is fine. Just my thoughts… maybe old-fashioned of me.
I was glad for how homecoming went for Madison this year. She had decided to go with a group of friends (with mostly no drama). We went out shopping for a dress. She said she didn’t was sparkles, and she didn’t want anything really short. So, we looked for something that made her feel special and beautiful and that she like. And lucky for us, we found a dress for a ridiculously cheap amount ($15) at TJ Maxx. And it was gorgeous on her. And she was fine not being “just like the others” in her group. (This, I must admit, was one fear I had – her dress would go against the norm, and would she be okay with it? She was!)
Oh yeah. I forgot to say, now, they all go to a location with their date or with their friends to take pictures. Before… we just snapped a picture outside our house (or whoever’s house) we left from. Well, we did do this. We met her friends at P. Graham Dunn where there is a pretty foyer and a picturesque pond. And we took pictures. First, we took some family ones – and it was cool because Jennifer and Jason were both in town!
Then, they took pictures as their group – Madison, Jaida, Gretta, Skylar, Mallory, and Ellie. One of the moms has a knack for flowers and created beautiful nosegays for the girls.
And then some other freshmen groups came (invited via text from a mom), and they took pictures with a few more people.
Then, finally, they headed off (with Lisa as their chauffeur) to eat at Mariola’s Italian restaurant in Wooster. What was fun, for me, is the moms also went and had supper at a different table together.
By about 8, they headed back to Dalton and joined the dance.
Madison said her favorite part of dressing up and going out to eat.
I am glad she had a good first Homecoming.
