Campfire Openings
Openings
Source: Campfire Ceremonies - Troop Program Resources (scouting.org)
When a troop campfire is a more formal event with some purpose and structure, a simple opening is appropriate.
Poetic Opening 1
The following lines are recited by a junior or adult leader, with clarity and solemnity, as the fire is being lit:
In this green and leafy campground,
Scouts together in the wood,
We circle round to tell our stories,
Scouting for the greater good.
Here we’re thankful for Your bounty,
For our friends who gather near,
Help us now to light this fire,
Help us now to kindle cheer.
Poetic Opening 2
The following lines are recited by a junior or adult leader, with clarity and solemnity, after the fire is lit and starts to grow:
As glow the hearts of the logs upon this fire,
So may our hearts glow, and our thoughts be kind,
As glow the hearts of the logs upon this fire,
May peace and deep contentment fill every mind.
Poetic Opening 3
The following lines are recited by a junior or adult leader, with clarity and solemnity, after the fire is lit and starts to grow:
As the flames point upwards, so be our aims.
As the red logs glow, so be our sympathies.
As the grey ash fades, so be our errors.
And as the good fire warms our circle, so may our ideals warm the world.
Variation – these sentences may be delivered separately,to punctuate the fire’s various stages:
As the flames point upwards, so be our aims. (opening)
As the red logs glow, so be our sympathies. (as the flames start to subside)
As the grey ash fades, so be our errors. And as the good fire has warmed our circle, so may our ideals warm the world. (towards the end or as part of the closing)
Words to Set the Mood 1
The following lines are recited by a junior or adult leader, with clarity and solemnity, after the fire is lit and starts to grow:
– As our campfire grows and grows, let the smoke from its flames rise to carry all our bad thoughts away, never to be seen again.
– Let the heat of this fire’s flames warm us all, and as we share its warmth, let us share the peace and contentment that grows inside us all.
Words to Set the Mood 2
The following lines are recited by a junior or adult leader, with clarity and solemnity, after the fire is lit and starts to grow:
As our campfire smoke curls upward, may all that is mean and unkind be carried away from our midst.
And in the friendly glow of our fire, may peace and contentment wash over us all.
Opening Applause
MC: I’m going to teach you all a neat trick. Place your two hands parallel to each other, palms facing, about 10 inches apart. Now, press your hands together real hard. So that your eyeballs are bulging out! Press harder! The veins are sticking out of your neck! Harder! Now relax and hold them apart as before. Now push them together again, now apart, now together, now apart …faster!” (Soon everyone will be clapping their hands loudly. Thank you for such a nice round of applause! (The campfire program begins.)