No frills is an NPC movement - not based on certain GL directors or chapters. I know we have been moving through the new plans at our campus, and BOY is it a big change!!
I always thought of "frills" as being food and such -- not a 25 min skit! Anyway, we are down to 15 min on skit, and it has to directly relate to sisterhood, not just some random skit.
As for the shopping event - I know our girls tried it one semester and it bombed. I think that it is better suited to larger chapters.
We did a "fill the basket" last year for the shelter and it was awesome! Each PNM went with a sister around the tables in the room and filled a basket with goodies. We had dish-towel bunnies, candles (of course
), lotion and chapstick, journals, etc. It was so much fun!