BIG sister gifts?

[alum]

Is it customary for a new member to give her BIG a gift at revealing time or upon initiation?

[ΑΓΔSquirrelGirl]

Originally Posted by alum

Is it customary for a new member to give her BIG a gift at revealing time or upon initiation?

Not for us....but it WOULD be kinda nice.

[Eirbear]

My chapter does, but every chapter is different. The Little Sisters give their Bigs a little gift on initiation. When I initiated, I gave my Big a box I had decorated for her. When my Little initated this past December, she gave me a Build-a-Bear she had made for me, and it was wearing a t-shirt she had decorated.

[AlphaFrog]

It just seems weird, because if you want all of the littles to get bigs gifts, you would have to tell them to do so. I think telling people (especially those who are not yet official members of your org yet) to go buy someone something could seem tacky. I guess it would be all in how it's presented.

[KSUViolet06]

My chapter has Big Sis Appreciation Day in the spring after the new members are initiated. That day is designated for Littles to do something nice for their Big. Some Littles get their Bigs a small gift like a gift card to their favorite store or treat them to lunch or dinner. My Little made me a picture frame and took me out for ice cream. It doesn't have to be anything expensive or elaborate, just something to let them know you care. I mean, think about the amount of money that Bigs spend on their Littles. One day to say "Thank you" is really nice to have.

[Buttonz]

We gave our bigs (and the president and NME get one from the NM class) paddles on intiation night. It's great to see who can come up with something that is the most creative and all the inside jokes that are put on paddles.

For example, my (now ex) bf's nickname for me was Strawberry and mine for him was Shrek...so my paddle from my little is covered in strawberry's and Shrek stuff....one of my NME paddles has a lion on it, as a joke about an AEPi guy....well you get the idea

[minDyG]

Originally Posted by alum

Is it customary for a new member to give her BIG a gift at revealing time or upon initiation?

Our chapter gave our bigs gifts at initiation. We decorated paddles (well, technically we did wooden anchors--but I think they've changed it to paddles now) for them and were encouraged to also get them a gift. I think I gave my big some hot pink carnations in a blue vase, a pink and blue tote bag from one of her favorite stores, and a couple of other DG-themed gifts. It was fun, but it wasn't awkward like someone else was saying--they didn't give us a price limit or like tell us we HAD to get our bigs a present...but we all did anyway.

[epchick]

Originally Posted by alum

Is it customary for a new member to give her BIG a gift at revealing time or upon initiation?

At big/lil revealing, the littles give their bigs a picture frame (preferably one that you decorated yourself). And at initiation, littles give their bigs a paddle.

[GeekyPenguin]

My chapter goes kind of insane for this - we do an exchange the night before initiation. I got my mom (what we called big sisters when I was active) a picture album engraved with our letters and a few other trinkets that I can't remember anymore - oops. We also have a few other chapter-only gift traditions that I don't want to post to spoil the surprise in the odd event anyone on here joined my chapter!

[Stef the Pef]

Awww...our chapter never had it mandatory, but it's always cute to get your big something since she just spent so much on you. I think I got a picture frame and a couple other trinkets for my big? I put a pic from our pledge dance with all of our family in it, too.