Flower Sunday claims the honor of being the oldest and longest-surviving tradition at Wellesley.
But it has evolved with the times (as you can see by comparing the photos in the slideshow above).
The celebration emerged from the Protestant heritage of Wellesley College. For many young women coming to Wellesley, their first Sunday away from home brought homesickness, and a celebration of the new school year and a day of sisterhood helped to ease the transition.
Held annually in early September, it features a multicultural and multifaith pageantry of song, music, poetry, and dance.
In recent times, Flower Sunday has come to include the tradition of Wellesley "little" and "big" sisters. First-years "littles" are paired with an upperclass student who will act as her "big." As tradition goes, bigs bring bouquets of flowers or small gifts to their littles and accompany them to the Flower Sunday festivities. With big sisters sometimes accumulating several littles during their time at Wellesley, entire "families" fill the seats in Houghton Chapel!