I'm an Alpha Phi who went to school in the Midwest and now advises on the West coast. Families were/are HUGE in both places! When I pledged (we were still called pledges so I'm semi-old
) one of the first things my big gave me was our family tree and the family bear which I still have because my little dropped out of school before she could take a little...end of my tree. The chapter I advise is huge on families and does "family letters"...the first set of block letters your big gives to you is done in the fabric print of your family. The scrapbook she makes for you is usually done in the same print too. They keep each other in line too...."that's not something a member of THIS family would do!"