It's good to know that the other chapter of Pi Phi are crazy gift givers, too! I have soooo much Pi Phi stuff from my big and my grandbig. Every week, new members have a "secret sister" who leaves a little gift and a note on the new member board for them in addition to their "guardian angel" who spends time with them one day (going out to coffee, having the new member over to the house for lunch, etc.).
For big sis pick-up we go all out. In fact, I am picking up my first little in nine days (not that I'm counting or anything....) and I am SO excited! I already have some ideas of what to get her, but I am always looking for more.
In answer to the family tree question a few posts back, we always make our littles something with their family tree one it, at least a few generations back. My big made me a poster with our tree on it, and I am making my little a pillow with our tree on it, probably only back to her great-grand big because it's not a very large pillow!
At my chapter, we also do disks instead of lavalieres. They are small, round silver or gold disks that you hang on a chain. Your big sis gets it for you sometime after your initiation (I didn't get mine until Christmas the next year, it was a family tradition).... Generally, they have letters on the front and "Pi Phi love, big sis whomever" on the back.
Now I'm just rambling.
Threaded Mode