Monthly traditions

New To You Table
Set out a table where sisters can bring any of their unwanted items from home and anyone is free to take whatever they want. Whatever items still remain at the end of the night can be delivered to Goodwill or Deseret Industries or any other donation organization of your choosing. You could also deliver items to your local Spanish or Vietnamese branch (or whatever special needs branch you have in your area). You can have sisters bring random items each month or designate a different theme each month such as kitchen items, toiletries, children’s items, clothing, etc.

“S.O.S Table”
S.O.S stands for Seek Out Service. Each month one or two organizations are
spotlighted so sisters can get ideas for service projects they can get involved in
with their families or individually. This is an opportunity to introduce the sisters
to ways they can become more involved in their community and reach out to
others. You can leave pamphlets or flyers on the table that provide more
information with a contact phone number so the sisters can follow through with
their interest. You could have one sister make a short presentation each month or
simply provide the information on the table so sisters can pick it up some time
during Enrichment Night. Organizations you might want to introduce to sisters
could include: American Kidney Foundation, Second Harvest, American Cancer
Society, local nursing homes they can visit or perform in, local hospitals they can
volunteer in, etc.

FHE packet
It would be great to provide a complete Family Home Evening lesson for sisters
who are interested in help with ideas. A packet could be offered for a small cost
or sisters could take turns providing copies for each other if the Relief Society
budget doesn’t allow for copying expenses. A packet could include visual aids, a
recipe, songs that coordinate with the selected theme, and even a refrigerator
magnet with the scripture for the week!

“Quilting Corner”
It would be fun to have a quilt set up somewhere each month that the sisters could
work on while they visit with one another. Quilts could be ongoing projects, made
as gifts from the Relief Society for new babies, graduating seniors, new brides or
sisters in need. Sisters could be encouraged to work for a few minutes each month
on the quilt or the Quilt Corner could be an ongoing class offered each month to
sisters who might not be interested in the other classes but still want to attend
Enrichment Night and enjoy the sisterhood.

“Unfinished Projects Corner”
Some sisters just aren’t interested in attending classes but love to sit and chat
with their friends during Enrichment Night. The Unfinished Projects Corner
allows them that opportunity while keeping their fingers busy. Sisters could be
encouraged to bring old craft projects from home that they never finished from
previous Enrichment Nights or even miscellaneous mending they never get
around to doing. Craft and sewing supplies are provided and sisters can work
while they visit with one another.

Relief Society Scrapbook
A sister could be assigned to take pictures each month during Enrichment Night that highlights the classes and activities that are offered. A table could be set up where the sisters could help create scrapbook pages using the photos from previous months. Supplies could be set out on the table and sisters could be encouraged to spend a few minutes working on the pages. This could also be a class offered each month or every few months. Sisters can enjoy each others’ company while they use their imagination to create a memorable scrapbook for the Relief Society to enjoy.

Relief Society Photo Directory
Someone could be assigned to take pictures of any new sisters who have moved in during the last month. Digital cameras make putting together a photo directory a snap! An updated directory could be printed every six months or so. The directory could include phone numbers and addresses of the sisters as well as hours for the closest temple and Family History Center.

Door Prizes
Door prizes are fun to use to help solve any problems you might be having with Enrichment Night and to reward positive behavior. For example, if your sisters have a tendency to straggle in late every month you could award door prizes to all the sisters who are there on time. If you want to encourage missionary work with your Relief Society you could offer a little prize to each sister who brings a friend each month. Door prizes could also be offered randomly to add a little excitement for the evening. Prizes don’t have to cost much and can even be donated by local vendors. All you have to do is ask!

The Babysitter’s Club
A wonderful tradition is to have the brethren in your ward take turns helping out with the babysitting during Enrichment Night. You could award each brother that serves a little button or certificate that makes him an honorary member of the Babysitter’s Club. Some time during the year you could even host a little party in honor of all the men who have become members of this prestigious club.

Book of Mormon Challenge
Each month the sisters could be challenged to share a Book of Mormon with a non-member friend. One sister could be selected to give a short report on her experience at the next Enrichment Night.

Sister Spotlight
Each month a different sister is spotlighted and given a little gift. She stands in front of the group while someone tells all about her favorite things, her accomplishments and talents, and why she is so special in the Relief Society. You could also tell the group all about her and have the sisters guess who they think it is and then present her to the group.

Friendship Basket
A friendship basket could be filled and presented each month to a sister whose name has been drawn out of a hat. The recipient then brings the basket filled with new items for the next month’s Enrichment Night. The basket could contain random gift items or things that are selected according to a theme such as coordinating with that month’s Enrichment Night Theme, Relief Society items, or things that describe the giver and her interests so that the sisters can get to know each other a little better. The basket should not be a financial burden, but an opportunity to simply express friendship and sisterhood.

Birthday Cake
Enrichment Night refreshments each month might include a token birthday cake to be shared by those who are celebrating their birthday during that month.

Missionary Messages
A table could be set out each month with stationery, note cards, markers, etc. so
that the sisters could write letters of encouragement to the missionaries who are
serving from the ward. All of the letters could then be mailed either together in a
special care package from the Relief Society. Similar packages of cards and
letters could be mailed to any ward members serving in the military away from
home or college students away for the school year.

Recipe Book
Each month the recipes for the refreshments served that night could be given to
the sisters to add to their collection. A special binder or box could be given to all
of the sisters where they can keep all of the recipes together to remember each
Enrichment Night.

Walking Club
Sisters could be encouraged to exercise each month before Enrichment Night by
walking from a certain location to the chapel before the meeting begins.
Participation awards could be given in addition to lots of applause for their
healthy choices.

The Lighter Side
Refreshments that are served each month could include something terribly
decadent and then a “lighter” version of the same thing could be prepared to help
teach sisters how to cook with less fat and calories.

Tasters Table
Smaller portions of food could be presented so that sisters could taste a variety
of things without having to eat an entire piece. Food choices could go along
with the theme that is being presented that night.