Ok. Let me give this suggestion list a go now.
These are some of the things that were always exchanged b/c they were tradition:
~On Big revealing they always got a teddy bear from us. This is their pledge bear. Different families have different kinds they are supposed to get. For example, I'm in the unicorn family and it is our tradition for the little to get a brown bear. I decorated mine with some blue & gold ribbon. Mine still goes everywhere with me and wears the Ribbon we got at pinning in.
~We also make them journals. They can use these as Address books for all the actives. They can do interviews to get to know everyone better and later use them as anactive for the same purpose. They can also put some of their memories in them, etc. We generally decorate them. Each family again has their different traditions for this. We also put the family tree, family traditions, and the important information that they should know about AXiD in there. They also get markers, pens, stickers, etc for decorating on their own.
~Throughout the semester, it is up to each Big what to get for their little. My Big spoiled me to death b/c she had been saving up for a while and also had a lot of stuff that my grandbig had given to her when she graduated. Ok, some examples:
~keychain
~car decal
~shot glass
~candles decorated w/ AXiD
~stationary, pens, pencils
~picture frames decorated w/ AXiD w/ pics of the 2 of us in them
~various teddy bears and teddy bear figurines
~Bud vase w/ letters on it
~mugs
~unicorn things (my family animal)
~scrap book and things to decorate it with
~photo album w/ AXiD engraved on it and filled with all the doubles of the pics that my little hadn't thought to bring her camera to capture
~sport bottles
~cups
~bumper sticker (this is also cute to just tack up on the wall)
~halloween candy
~periodic cards and notes to let her know she's a wonderful NM
~couple of dinners at the fabulous dining establishment known as McDonald's (excellent one on one time)
well, that's really all I can think of at the moment. These were things given to me by my Big, GrandBig and things that I gave to my little.
We also have some traditions that we always around initiation. In my family, the Big gets her little an AXiD charm and the little gets the Big a chapter guard and Big sis charm. These are exchanged at the formal. In my family we always have a jacket or sweatshirt ready for our little at initiation. A week or so after initiation, we have a big/little night where they give us pillows and plaques. I had things for my little on that night also and my big had things for me too, but it wasn't necessary. Oh, and at our retreat, the littles generally present the bigs with little gifts as tokens of appreciation.
Ok, I'm out of ideas right now and this is a short novel, so I'll end it now. If I can think of any other ideas I'll be sure to post them. You have all summer to get ready for a little. Use that time and you will be able to spoil her rotten when the time comes if that is what you want to do. Watch for sales and buy ahead. You'll always find an occasion to give her just about anything. Have fun with it. I think I enjoyed being a Big even more than being a little. I loved to see her face when I would give her even the smallest gift. But most of all, make sure you are always there for her. Call and check up on her, her classes and her sanity periodically, especially if she is not inclined to call you all the time. Remember, she is adjusting and you are there to make her transition into AXiD as smooth as possible. That is the most important part of being a Big. Many of our Bigs forgot about that a lot and the littles would get very upset about this. The NewMOC had to have a meeting with the Bigs the semester I was one and reprimand a lot of them. I know, I'm getting preachy now, but that was a big deal for all the littles that semester.
I'm sure you will be a wonderful Big and your Little will be lucky to have you.
TFJ!
Xi love & mine,
Mindy
p.s. And remember to take a camera everywhere. You never know what will be a great photo op and the NM's hardley ever remember a camera, but they love to get the pics later on.
Big/Lil Sis Gifts
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