<p>I placed a custom order this morning and was told I was the first one in the “book” for delivery. Yay! Happy to know DD will get hers on Bid Day! FYI, they are not selling the “Go Greek” tank this year. In my opinion, they’ve replaced with something cuter! The tank has “Alabama” on the front and all the sorority houses around a square on the back. The center of the square says “Two of the best choices I’ve made!” Just FYI from their website (<a href=“http://www.heybama.com):%5B/url%5D”>www.heybama.com):</a> “We will deliver packages in the order in which they were placed. Pre-orders will be put at the top of the delivery list.” Happy shopping!</p>
<p>I know that people have strong opinions on these bid day packages, but I’ll throw in some observations.</p>
<p>-Many of the girls never see the packages until several days after bid day (this can be due to bid day retreats, bid day craziness, and the packages not being delivered for a couple of days).</p>
<p>-The items in the packages are cute, but not the best quality for your money (very thin towels, blankets, and such).</p>
<p>-While helping with move out this weekend, I personally saw several of these bid day packages, still in the cellophane, on the shelves in the girls’ dorm (collecting dust from August)!</p>
<p>I absolutely hate wasting money, and seeing it go to waste! Of course, last year, we ran out and bought bid day packages, and grandparents did too. I, personally, on bid day, gave my D a pretty pair of Tory Burch gold stud earrings (which cost less than the bid day packages). I was able to hand her these privately and hug her. I just wish that we would have left it at that! Those earrings have been used a ton, and the bid day stuff, well, not so much. Sorority fees, formal dresses, t-shirt funds, and such add up fast, spend it wisely! Take it from someone who didn’t, oh well, I’ll learn someday.</p>
<p>I’ve heard similar stories about the quality of the pre-made baskets, so that’s why we customized hers. We bought the tank, the letter sweatshirt, fabric ID holder, tangle bangles, shorts and letter koozie. Right at $100. Didn’t think I could go wrong with these “safe” items. Hope not!</p>
<p>Customizing was going to be my suggestions as well. Actually DD loved that little blanket with the ADPi on it. She has gotten tons of use out of the towel wrap (we’ve replaced it twice, not because it was cheap but just because there were new letter styles. She lives i her GO Greek tank (sad they aren’t doing those), still uses her ADPi pillow case. I gave her a gift card in her Bid Day package that allowed her to go over and make a sweat shirt. You pick out the sweat shirts and then they have tons of fabric to choose from and they sew the letters on. She loves her’s and we have had others made a gifts.</p>
<p>The Trunk’s site still has last year’s Bid Package info up. What is different? </p>
<p>BTW, I completely agree on the trinkets, etc. My DD is not into a lot of that stuff, and with a future full of lil/big gifts, event t’s etc, the koozie and paper frames seem superfluous.</p>
<p>I think I will just give her a gift certificate for the sweatshirt (which I know she will live in) and a pair of nike tempo shorts with some hair ties. The Trunk brick and mortar store has really cute greek apparel; too bad they are not offered in the baskets. I’m sure they would sell even more if the baskets included the chevron pocket t’s or shirt shoppe style long sleeve t’s (the one that is pieced horizontally).</p>
<p>The embroidered shorts are a big hit! I love the sweatshirt idea, too (wish we had thought of that). I encouraged my D to take back or exchange anything that she wouldn’t use, of course she never got around to it (insert rolley eyes).</p>
<p>I just called and got the scoop. The Go Greek tank is being replaced with a T shirt that has Alabama written across the front. On the back, the houses are arranged in a square with the words “The 2 Best Decisions I Ever Made” inside. I added that to our order. FWIW, I was order #10.</p>
<p>My D just sent me a text with The Trunk Store items attached that she would like. Think I’d rather do something like that as it ain’t cheap vs the packages. Can’t see D using half the stuff in the baskets that would just be dust collectors or taking up valuable space in her dorm room. Think if I am there on bid day after they leave I might just go custom order what she might rather have. If she gets it the next week I think she would rather have items she really wanted than stuff she did not on bid day.</p>