Paddle parties
 

Do any of y'all have paddle parties at your chapter or colony? Specifically, do you throw a party to make the paddles together or to have a paddle exchange? Does anyone have any similar parties?

We are just now making paddles this semester (for our big sisters, but I am going to make one for all my five family members [4 actives + 1 alumna]), and we considered giving them out at the Yellow Rose Ball, but nothing's for sure.

Thanks ladies! :)

We didn't do paddles but rather anchor shaped paddles. It is a little more ASTish and less like 'we're gonna spank you'

We had our bigs make them for their littles then they wer given them on their initiation.

My old chapter had a paddle party the night before initation, for the active members to get one last chance to be together before welcoming the new initiates. In addition to paddles, we also would make anchors. They were soo cute!!! I know that there are places you can go to get paddles made, but I enjoy just buying the stick on wooden letters from a greek store, and then decoupaging the rest of the paddle. There are a ton of options that you can have with paddles! Have fun!!!

We never had a paddle "party" bit it was tradition for the bigs to make them for their littles. Most families had a specific design and layout. After initiation the little would usually make them for their bigs. We made paddles for everything though, there was a spirit paddle that got passed around each week, paddles for your Secret Big sis, paddles for your Pearl, we were very crafty;-) I need to make one for my little in Oklahoma, I'm thinking of trying decupage. But feel weird breaking from my tradition.

usually
 

well usually you are supposed to give away the paddle at formal. that's how we usually do it

We would have the Executive Board Members give paddles to the woman who helped each of them throughout the year. It was always a ton of fun to see who would get each officer's paddle...

Thanks for the fun and creative ideas, everyone! :cool:

Paddle Exchanges
 

I am new at this whole paddle exchange thing and I am also Member Ed. So, my president came to me and said that I need to come up with something fun but I am like running on empty for ideas. Anyone do something erally fun or neat with their paddle exchange?? Help me out here!!

Our chapter has littles give their bigs paddles, each family has certain criteria that need to be on the paddle, most don't have a specific 'shape' paddle or anything. The paddles are 'revealed' to the bigs at a sisterhood party organized by the new member class. But we quite frequently make paddles for other sisters as gifts (like for birthdays and such).

We do a paddle exchange once a year and basically everyone gets another sisters name out of a hat and then makes them a paddle based on their personality. At the last meeting of the semester everyone exchanges paddles. It lightens the mood after all the goodbye speeches are read.