I had two little sisters the same year, so I had to really watch my budget. In our chapter, the first 5 weeks of pledgeship each new member receives a "Beta Buddy" that takes them out to eat and gives them a gift that is purchased by the sorority. Everyone gets the same gift each week. Then Big Sister week comes along. In my chapter each Big Sis gets the same gift one day of the week (one day is flowers, one is candy/food, one is decorations, etc.) For Big Sister Week, I:
- decorated their rooms with balloons, confetti and streamers--this is a very low budget thing, b/c all items can be purchased at the dollar store
- got a nice flower arrangement with wine carnations
- made breakfast in bed--I got cheap plastic plates, cups and bowls in wine and blue and got paint pens and decorated them with angels, arrows, letters, etc. Then I got little boxes of cereal, milk, and juice and put them with the plates outside their doors in the morning. I did the same thing for a huge bucket of candy
- one day we give collages with hints with who we might be! That same day I gave a bunch of cute knick-knacks I had picked up from a Greek store--cups, pins, stickers etc.
- the last day we traditionally give pajamas to wear to revelation... I forget if I gave anything else that day!
For Initiation, I:
- wrote meaningful letters to both of them
- gave them lavalieres
- took them to a nice dinner with the rest of the family
- my "aunt" (it's complicated
) gave them a turtle--our family mascot
One thing I have been wanting to do is make a family album or tree. One family in our chapter has an album that goes all the way back to colonization with pictures and whatnot. I have traced our family back to 1994 or so (we were colonized in '92) but I can't seem to get any farther. But I think I might make a decorative tree for my little-littles in a few months.