USSSP - Baloo's Bugle

OPENING CEREMONIES

Building A Better World

Piedmont Area Council

11 Cub Scouts, each holding a card with a letter on the front and his line on the back in BIG print.

Each speaker holds up his letter as he says his line.

Last line delivered by all.

B for BROTHERHOOD, boosting for each other's good
E for EVERY LAND to share in earth's riches everywhere
T for TRUSTFULNESS, trusting more and fearing less
T for TEAMWORK, for joining hands to put things through
E for EQUAL CHANCE for each nation to advance
R for REAL RESPECT in spite of race, creed, or sect.
W for WILL TO WORK for peace with faith and skill
O is for OPPORTUNITY to keep our speech and action free
R for REVERENCE for a guiding providence
L for LOVE TO SPREAD around when need and bitterness are found
D for DIGNITY of man devoted to a better plan.

(All hold up letters)

ALL There you have it - that is how you build A BETTER WORLD.

Holiday Opening Ceremony

Props: Box wrapped with holiday paper and tied with a bow. In the box are a menorah, small Christmas tree, invitation, Kwanzaa candelabra, Instant Recognition patch and beads, small wrapped gift, small felt stocking, and card saying “Do Your Best.”

December is one of the most exciting months of the year, and certainly one of the busiest.
This month we have: Christmas (Takes out tree.); Hanukkah (Removes menorah.); Kwanzaa (Removes candle holder.), and Holiday parties (Takes out invitation.).
What a great time for all of us! Our Pack has had lots of fun this month working on advancements (Takes patch and beads from box.),
But one of the best things was our special service project or Good Turn (Takes stocking from box.).
We’ve been busy, and all the time we have followed the Cub Scout Motto: (takes paper out of box and shows it while saying motto) “Do Your Best.”
Now Den _____ will present the colors.

Light of Scouting (Opening Ceremony)

San Gabriel, Long Beach Area, Verdugo Hills Councils

Scene: Have four scouts each light a candle (or turn on a flashlight inside/behind a construction paper candle) in turn. Have another (or others) read the ceremony.

This is the light of Scouting - it radiates enthusiasm. As light brings out the sparkle in diamonds, enthusiasm brings out the sparkle in scouting.
This is the light of Scouting - its energy gives us the strength to do our best.
This is the light of Scouting - it touches everyone. Remember the brotherhood we share together in Scouting.
This is the light of Scouting - it brightens the way of the path we will follow.

All: Feel the warmth from the glow of the light. May it warm your heart.

Traditions at Christmas

San Gabriel, Long Beach Area, Verdugo Hills Councils

Equipment: Each Cub could have the object he talks about on display or a large picture of the object. Make sure each boy’s text is in LARGE print.

This ceremony can be easily adapted to many different holidays by changing the objects and writing text. If you do so, please send me a copy, commissionerdave@comcast.net

The Christmas Tree. The custom of decorating a small evergreen tree at Christmas time began in Germany. However, it reached America before it arrived in England. The German settlers in Pennsylvania decorated trees with lights, sweets, and colored paper. That is how the Christmas tree became part of our traditional Christmas.
The Mistletoe. Ancient Celtic priests believed mistletoe had medicinal powers and was sacred. They thought it brought good fortune. Mistletoe was also considered the plant of peace and, under it; enemies met and reconciled their differences. From this ceremony came the English custom of kissing beneath the mistletoe.
The Christmas Wreath. During the 16th century in Germany, branches of fir or spruce were intertwined in a circular shape. This symbolized the love of God, which had no beginning and no end. One legend tells of a young girl of Bethlehem who wept because she had nothing to bring to the Christ child but a crown of holly leaves. The babe touched the crown and the leaves gleamed and scarlet berries appeared where her tears had fallen.
The Christmas Candle. Medieval Christians believed that on Christmas Eve the Christ child wandered through town and countryside in search of those who believed in Him. On that night, they place candles at their windows to guide Him.
The Poinsettia. This Christmas flower was discovered in Mexico in 1828 by Dr. Joel Poinsett. The people of Mexico and Central America call it "Flor do la noche buena" or flower of the Holy Night because it reaches full bloom at Christmas.
The Christmas Card. At Christmas in 1843, in London, "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens had just been published. A friend, Sir Henry Cole, had an artist friend design a Christmas greeting to send to his friends. This was to be the first Christmas card. It took more than 30 years for them to become popular. They were first introduced in the United States in the late 1870s.

Asst CM Would everyone join me in singing ______ (favorite Holiday song)?

Holiday Openings

San Gabriel, Long Beach Area, Verdugo Hills Councils

Scene: CM comes out followed by several scouts, each holding a large card with one letter from either Christmas Joy or Chanukah on it. Words can be on back of card with letter in LARGE print or the CM or Den Chiefs or other scouts can read the text associated with each letter. Have Scouts hold cards above their heads when finished.

C: Caroling, candies, chimes a-ringing
H: Holiday wreaths with berries climbing
R: Reindeer - fast but oh so tiny
I: Icicles bright and silvery shiny
S: Stars and stockings, shoppers streaming
T: Through the town with tinsel gleaming
M: Mistletoe in its waxen glory
A: Angels from the Christmas story
S: Santa with his sack to carry
J: Journeys on his sled so merry
O: O'er the world to each girl and boy
Y: Yes! It's time for Christmas Joy!

C: Stands for candles golden and bright that Father with blessings will light every night
H: Stands for Hannah, courageous and true, who would not yield, so her sons they slew
A: Stands for Antioch, Syrian king, who tried with his power, Greek worship to bring
N: Stands for "nes," that wonder so great, when oil lasted not one day, but eight
U: Is for unfurling the Maccabee banner by Judah who fought in so valiant a manner
K: Is for the kindling of candles each night, reminding us all of great deeds of might
A: Stands for all, living far and wide, who tonight are glowing with a true sense of pride
H: Stands for Hebrew, the language so old, in which the story of Chanukah is told

Starry Night

Baltimore Area Council

Dim or turn off room lights except for an electric candle or flashlight

This can be either an opening read by one person or divided up into parts. Or it works well as a Cubmaster’s Minute for a closing. CD

This is the season of lights and stars, when days are short and nights are long with beautiful stars.

Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, once said this to his Scouts, “I often think when the sun goes down, and the world is hidden by a big blanket from the light of heaven. But the stars are little holes pierced in that blanket by those who have done good deeds in this world. The stars are not all the same size; some are big, and some are little. So some men have done great deeds, and some men have done small deeds, but they have all made their hole in the blanket by doing good before they went to heaven.”

Let’s remember when we look at the starry sky, to make our own hole in the blanket, by doing good deeds and helping other people.