I wish for our chapter, the NMC could tell all Delta Diamonds I need 25 from you and then she goes and gets items for the girls with that 25 and then everyone gets the same things. Then maybe if they wanted to personalize it they could say you provide the basket for your diamond and the delta could buy a cute basket to put the goodies in. I just hate to see some Alphas upset that one girl got more than another. I know Andrea we always say we wont let it get that way, but the whole time I was in ADPi it was like that with everyone getting their diamonds whatever and how much they wanted and I did feel bad for a lot of girls. I just hope they really stick to this new way so that it works better and peoples feelings arent hurt.

Shan,

My chapter made it a policy that you weren't allowed to give any gifts on sorority house grounds. This way, no one felt she was getting less than someone else.

(It was also good b/c it made the deltas spend time with the alphas instead of heaping them with goodies on meeting nights!)

The chapter is buying some things but we are supposed to have gifts to go along with it - like picture frames and pairs of letters. We also have to decorate a box and stuff like that. I was wondering about any good poems or things that are special to you girls about ADPi. Also, if anyone has any good letter making tips, the girls here seem to look down on homemade letters but I honestly can't afford to buy 3 sets.

Take a pair of your own letters and trace the out line onto cardboard to make your template. I've always thought the double letters look much better then single, so you would need the background letters and then the inner ones.
Go to your local WalMart or fabric store and find the scrap bin. This will be a bunch of material that is too small for the store to sell in bulk, but will be the perfect size for cutting out letters. If you are doing the two-tone letters, find two complimentary fabrics, if just one, find something wild and crazy.
Also at WalMart, go buy a single men's undershirt. They will usually come in other colors then white or black, but white and black will work in a pinch.
The other thing you need is that iron on backing sticky stuff.
So you take your template letters, trace onto the materials and the iron on stuff and then iron away!
To make them look more professional.... although this will cost more money, find a local seamtress to go around the edges of the letters for you. Sewing will also secure it to the t-shirt better. There are two different styles of iron on sticky stuff. If you are planning to go the sewing route, get the one that isn't as thick and durable. If you get the ultra one, it will be very hard to sew through those letters!
Hope that helps!

Not to burst anyone's bubble, the new rules sound wonderful, however... I think it will just make the delta diamonds who want to spend $$ give the alpha diamonds stuff when no one is around. Make sense? If someone really wants to give her alpha diamond something, then she will get it to her. Where there's a will, there's a way. She probably won't do it in front of others, but I bet it will happen. We tend to do what was done to us. If a delta diamond was given gifts totallying $600 (gasp) then she may want to do the same thing.

lonestar trotting off to the dr for her raging red throat.

Good points, LoneStar, but just a reminder that this is more about a directive coming from Grand Council and the Membership Education District Director Team. We're making suggestions on how to adapt to that.