411: What To Put In A Big/Little Crate

So it is currently a big/little week in my sorority, and I am excited to (maybe) pick up a little of my own. This is one of my favorite times during the quarter because it is when I get to meet new girls within my chapter, Alpha Delta Pi. Furthermore, I am excited about this alpha class in particular since an old high school friend of mine is in it. Apart from that, one of the exciting things about big and little reveals is making a crate for your little and filling it up with different things. Here are some things  you could put in your big/little crate.

1. Tshirts/tank etc relating to your chapter

I would say this is one of the most important parts of the crate since little’s usually don’t have any merch relating to the chapter just yet, or they might not have a lot. This also helps make the crate full and cuter! Additionally, big/little shirts are important because it usually shows how people do their big/little reveal and it gives each member of the family a memory to remember when someone new joined.

1. Accessories relating to your chapter

These aren’t necessarily required in the crate but are always cute to add into small little mason jars. Most of the accessories would consist of pins, bows, and scrunchies. 

1. Decorations relating to your chapter

These are some of my favorite things to add to the crate since they always tend to be the biggest or have very cute designs. Some of these decorations would include flags, pillows, tapestry, and hand-painted artwork.

1. Their favorite candy/snacks/drinks

This helps personalize the crate to who you’re giving it to since not everyone has the same likes or dislikes. By adding their snacks/drinks, you get to know them better from before as well as giving them things you know they’ll like.

1. Candles, lotions, etc

These are cute to add because, I mean, who wouldn’t enjoy a small bottle of lotion or a small candle. They usually help to fill up some of the space in the back so that things can lean on, but if color-coded properly it looks very cute.

1. Hand sanitizer, Face masks

So this is something I think is necessary for giving out gifts, especially with the times right now. I always try to give my friends hand sanitizer and tissues/face masks to help protect themselves when sick. I also add sheet face masks for the skin since pretty much anyone can use them.

1. Letters

This is definitely the best and my favorite part of a crate. A lot of the times big/little crates are given after someone’s little initiates meaning they can now wear letters. So most people either get their little blanket or a sweater with the greek letters of their chapter on it. This is more sentimental since the letters tend to be custom made, especially when put on sweaters. Many bigs choose different designs to put inside of the letters to match them with their “family name” or just personalize it to connect and match more with their little(s).

1. Things relating to philanthropy

This isn’t something that everyone does, but I found it very cute and interesting when my big did it for me. She added the soda/can tabs in a jar for me so that I could start collecting them. In my chapter collecting those tabs helps provide utilities for those living in the RMHC House. This helps me get started with some of my philanthropy work even though I’m away from school and haven’t had the chance to be as involved.

These are definitely some of the things to add to your big/little crate and many of these things are super easy and cheap to find and purchase! Happy picking up this quarter!

• alpha delta pi
• big
• little
• sorority