What makes a campfire a memorable experience? Well, that depends on a number of things, such as where it takes place (Jamboree, Grand Canyon), what was done (Skits, Songs, & Stuff), and most importantly, who was there.

Some of the things that make a campfire fun are the skits and songs and all that. Of course, short term campouts benefit from these time honored "rituals."

Ever try looking for appropriate skits on YouTube? Probably won't find much, but you never know...

These sites all point to skits you won't be ashamed of (or get kicked out of the camp for!)

       Gray Areas (CHECK THIS FIRST)          Skit Planning (and some other campfire & skits stuff)

       USSP      More Skits     Tradtional Scouting Skits      We Know Skits.com      Ye Olde Skit Liste     Scouter.net skits      


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Section last updated/reviewed 14 Jan 10.
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What's a campfire without song? OK, don't answer that. Just check these sites out.


 A place to start     ScoutSongs.com     

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Section last updated/reviewed 14 Jan 10.
Please note that the images and logos here, as on all our pages, are © (copyright) their respective owners and used by gracious permission. See our Special Thanks! page for details and links.

Sometimes, what makes a campout or campfire really memorable are the ceremonies that take place. Some of these ceremonies are "simple rituals" that help tie things together, such as the benediction "May the Great Scoutmaster of all Scouts be with us till we meet again" at the end of every troop meeting.

Sometimes the ceremonies are special enough to warrant a meeting all their own--the Eagle Court of Honor is the most notable of these.

These links will take to you pages that have all kinds of ideas for different kinds of ceremonies.

  BoyScoutTrail.com     Netwoods Virtual Campsite     ScoutingWeb.com (I know, Girl Scouts, but the ideas transfer)  USSSP                     


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Section last updated/reviewed 14 Jan 10.
Please note that the images and logos here, as on all our pages, are © (copyright) their respective owners and used by gracious permission. See our Special Thanks! page for details and links.

Some ceremonies just need their own space. This is one.


Lord Robert Baden-Powell was the father of the Scouting movement.

In 1907, on Brownsea Island in England, he conducted the first Scout Camp for boys.  At the end of that camp, he gave some the ashes from the camp fire to each of the boys and kept some for himself.

Legend says he did this at all ceremonial camp fires.

The ashes have been passed from one to another now for 100 years.

Imagine.

100 Years of campfires, friends and fellowship.

The Campfire Ashes Ceremony

    Ashes taken from a campfire are sprinkled into the flames of the new campfire. Next morning, when the ashes are cold, they are stirred, collected, and evenly distributed into small packages so each Scout present at the campfire may take some to share with other Scouts at other camp fires. If more than one person brings ashes to the same campfire, the lists are pooled, the dates and places of all the campfires are recorded and passed on. This ceremony is a very special one and should be used only at meaningful occasions. It stresses our commitment to International Friendship and Comradeship.

CEREMONY

From the North, the South, the East, and the West the spirits of past campfires are here with us tonight, carrying fellowship in these ashes from other campfires, thus uniting us with freinds and comrades in other lands.

(Add new ashes here)

This has been attributed to Lord Baden-Powell: "We carry our friendships with us in these ashes from other campfires with comrades in other lands. May the joining of this past fires with the leaping flames of this campfire symbolize once more the unbroken chain that binds scouts and guides of all nations together. With greetings from our brothers and sisters around the world, I add these ashes, and the fellowship therein, to out campfire."

These are the things I prize and hold of dearest worth,

Light of the sapphire skies, peace of the silent hills. Music of the birds, murmur of little rills,

Shelter of forests, comfort of the grass. Shadows of clouds that swiftly pass, and after the shower

The smell of flowers and of the good brown earth. And most of all, alond the way, FELLOWSHIP and mirth,

May naught mar the joy of FELLOWSHIP here. May none remain hungry and lonely of heart among us,

Let none go hence without the joy of new FRIENDSHIP. Give us more capacity for love,

And a richer consciousness of being loved. Help us overcome our coldness and reserve that we may throw ajar,

The gates of our hearts and keep open house this day and ALWAYS.

Now let us pray together:

Oh, Lord we pray:
For those who blindly seek God,
May they find him.
For those who believe they know God,
May they seek him.
For those who are afraid of the future,
May they have confidence.
For those who have failed,
May they have a fresh chance.
For those who doubt,
May they not despair.
For those who are alone,
May they find someone.
For those who hunger,
May they be satisfied.
For those who are satisfied,
May they be humble.

All sing: Taps

Benediction: "May the Great Father, Master of all Scouts, Bless you and keep you, until we meet again."

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Section last updated/reviewed 14 Jan 10.
Please note that the images and logos here, as on all our pages, are © (copyright) their respective owners and used by gracious permission. See our Special Thanks! page for details and links.