The Community Gathered on September 15 to Celebrate Flower Sunday

The Wellesley Community gathered yesterday in Houghton Chapel for Flower Sunday, the College’s oldest and longest-lived tradition, to welcome the Class of 2019 and their new Wellesley "bigs!"

Dating back to 1875, Flower Sunday is celebrated on the first Sunday after the start of the academic year. It began as a gathering to help ease the transition for young women coming to Wellesley for whom the first Sunday away from home brought homesickness. It evolved into a day of sisterhood and a celebration of the new school year.

The time-honored tradition now also celebrates the pairing of "little" and "big" sisters. Each fall, first-year students are paired with an upperclasswoman who becomes her big sister during the first-year’s time at Wellesley. On Flower Sunday, it is tradition for big sisters to bring bouquets of flowers to their little sisters and accompany them to the Flower Sunday festivities, which includes a multifaith program, readings, music, and dance.

Photo by Jennifer Lyon-Mackie ‘18