By Andrew Norrie – Phi Delta Theta General Headquarters Staff
The holiday season is upon us! With the season comes an incredible opportunity for your chapter’s brotherhood to flourish before some well-needed time off. Ending the first term with great brotherhood events inspired by the season of giving will set the tone for the return to campus in the New Year, end the term on all the right notes, give your members a quick reprieve from the academic stresses of exam season, and instill an increased sense of brotherhood that is monumentally important when seeking to welcome new men into your family come winter recruitment.
The holiday season is particularly special for us Phis, given the Snowball Rebellion and the Fraternity’s founding on December 26. If your chapter isn’t wrapping up the term with brotherhood events, consider starting this year, and continuing the tradition annually!
A few great event ideas include:
Holiday Potluck
Set an evening for your chapter’s holiday potluck! Encourage all of your members to gather at the chapter house, or another common space, and have each brother bring a food item. This method is the most financially sound way of gathering a Phi-worthy feast. Create a DoodlePoll or Google Doc to check off the essentials and to ensure everyone brings different food!
Secret Santa
Select one chapter member, potentially the brotherhood chairman, pass around a Secret Santa form at the next chapter meeting. Have each brother indicate his name and some hobbies and interests. From the forms, randomly pair each chapter brother with another brother, and ensure the pairings stay secret. Set a limit and have each brother secretly come up with a gift using the respective brother’s interests. Exchange the gifts at chapter meeting or the Holiday Potluck!
House Decorating
Take a break from exams and studying and gather at your chapter house to decorate it for the holidays. This time off is great for team building, bonding, and enjoying each other’s company, not to mention tidying up your facility before the break!
Holiday-Grams
Get together and package up some holiday grams with candy, treats, and a nice message from your chapter to the recipient. These little gifts are affordable to make and send a great message this holiday season! Drop them off at other Greek houses, meetings, classrooms, and other people that may truly benefit from a nice gesture this season!
Hand out Hot Chocolate
Gather some brothers and go celebrate the season of giving by handing out some hot chocolate in a high traffic area. This gesture is affordable and is proof that the little things count! Make sure to wear your letters!
Volunteer at a Food Shelter
Remember not all folks are so blessed this season. Helping to make meals and packaging food at your local food shelter is an easy act of volunteerism but means the world to those families in need.
Sponsor a Family
Many chapters have gone through local non-profits to identify a family in need. Especially this season, a family, or families, could benefit from a group of campus leaders sponsoring them. Organize a toy drive, cook holiday meals, and spin by their place to carol. You might just make a family in need’s Christmas the most special time of the year.
Happy holidays brothers! Have a safe, relaxing, and prosperous holiday season!
