New Member gifts
 

Hey! Sorry to crash your forum, but my cousin is a new Tri-Delta at UGA! She had a disappointing formal rush, but accepted her COB bid from Tri-Delt last night!

Do you have any rules for what new members can/can't wear or have? I know our new members can't wear the crest, but are encouraged to wear letters. I don't want to get her something fun only to find out that she can't wear or display it yet.

Also, is there anything that's sort of a traditional big/little gift? I don't want to step on her big's toes or anything, but I'm so excited for her!

I am fairly certain that this is the same nationally - but it could just be at JU - we don't let our New Members wear letter shirts. We define letter shirts as anything in which the letters are stitched on or where they are the main focus of the clothing. For example, our bid day shirts are ok b/c they just have the three deltas in the upper pocket area. Also, nothing that refers to sisters unless it is "I can't wait to be your sister" etc. At my school, bigs usually give their littles a lavalier, and then at initiation their first stitched letters. I'm sure this isn't nationwide, though perhaps lavaliers are popular big/little gifts. Hope this help some. Congrats to her, and to you for being so supportive :)

Actually, its national policy to let new members wear letters. Some chapters frown open it and "forget" to tell NM they can wear letters. Since letters are a touchy subject with many chapters, I would wait until she gets initiated.

One thing that I thought was really cute was a friend (whos a Phi Sig on a different campus) gave me a flower pot with a bunch of dirt in it, explaining that I should take care of it and soon there will be a surprise.

Just around the time we were finishing up our charter requirements, pansys started blooming.

That's such a cute idea!

Anything with dolphins, pansys, stars or crescents on it is a good gift idea. One tradition my chapter just started was giving all the New Members a pack of Trident gum.

Here's the stuff I wound up getting her:

http://www.that-something.com/images/tridelta.jpg

I figure if she can't use it all now, she'll be able to soon!

Art Show
 

I just got back from an art show in NYC and saw some great personalized sorority bags! They were gold silk with blue ribbons and a star & cresant charm! sooo cute! If you are interested I can find the name for you of where I bought mine! My whole chapter ended up getting them and we love them!
Delta Love

PS that whole flower pot idea with the pansies was great!

Try contemporarysororityscrapbooks.com for gifts. The books are specific to rush, pledgeship, and initiation so that they don't ever miss capturing anything. The best part is there are also blank scrapbook pages to design as well. Good luck.

Fergie